American Exchange
by Faith Ciel
Summary: What happens when a group of 10 American Exchange students get transferred to Degrassi? Who will they clique with? Find romance with? Find enemies in? PLEASE R&R. :D 3 xx I love reviews. I'm BACK in time for Season 11!
1. 1: Arrival

The beginning of second semester at Degrassi Community School was never a very eventful occasion; new schedule, yes... Meaning new classes and teachers, and maybe a few new faces... But always people you'd seen around town already. Nothing very different... Until a bus with unfamiliar plates pulled up outside the steps of the school, attracting stares of many.

The plates were sky blue and white, and upon reading, one would see they were from Minnesota... The states? As the bus pulled to a stop, a small, curious crowd gathered around the doors. As they opened with a shrill creak, the rustling of jackets, bags, and some loud talking was audible to the Canadian group that was suddenly split as a small group shuffled off of the big, yellow machine.

First off was a boy and a girl pair, both busy reading and talking over what seemed to be schedules and various other piles of papers. The dark-skinned boy, who was about average height, was fidgeting with his glasses, bringing them in front of his long, dark brown hair, whilst rambling on to the far shorter, ethnic-looking girl who's black hair hit her waist. Neither made eye contact as they swept through the crowd without a second thought. Only slight dialogue could be heard from the two as they passed.

"...Taking over student government shouldn t be as difficult as it seems, Kane..." The girl seemed to be retorting.

"That's true, Soleh... If you can dig yourself into their heads like the leech you are." The boy scoffed.

Next to stumble down the cheap, metal stairs was a porcelain-skinned, small bleach blonde girl with sky blue eyes. All eyes followed her as she attempted to shift herself through the parting the previous two had made in the crowd, however, the gap slowly closed and she was eaten by a mob, before finally getting out by carefully maneuvering through everyone; obviously careful to not hurt a fly.

After the girl was a Filipino boy, shorter than average, with an iPod plugged into his ears, eyes stuck to a gaming system, and mind obviously focused somewhere that _wasn't_ here. Bumping into a few people in his effort to get through, and mumbling slight curses under his breath, he squeezed through the crowd and quickly shuffled up the stone steps of Degrassi, slipping out of sight.

The next pair to walk out was a boy and girl. The boy held piles of what looked like football equipment, peering around him at everyone who stared as they passed, nodding and speaking an occasional "Hello" or "Hey" to a girl who d catch his fancy, though that fancy seemed to change it s mind every couple of seconds. His chestnut hair was cut just above his eyebrows, so his peach face that was adorned with freckles was easily visible. The similarly complexioned girl was quickly pacing along, blowing kisses to everyone she passed.

"I'm Marilyn!" She called to the group. "This is Mark." She continued, whilst letting go of the other's arm as he hastily walked away from her. "We're not dating, and I'm completely available, if anyone was wondering!" And with that, she skipped away, taking a good third of the male population of the crowd with her, attracting a few hollers and whistles as she went.

Whilst people were settling, a taller boy with long, dirty blonde hair snuck out of the bus, going through the now oblivious crowd that was still chattering about the brunette s statement moments earlier. Pushing his way through, he gave a particularly large push to a smaller boy standing mid-crowd, knocking him nearly to the ground, if it hadn't been for the darker, gothic-looking guy who stood behind him who caught him.

"Hey, what the hell's your problem?"

The boy, who'd already begun to walk away, didn't even turn as he snapped a response. "Who the hell are you?"

"Eli Goldsworthy, if it's worth anything to you, ponytail."

"Aiden Fox." The latter snapped his head back, his blue eyes meeting Eli's green. "Your little friend was in my way. Take a prozac and_ relax_." And with that, he walked away.

At that point in time, everyone had gotten quiet to listen in to what resident anti-bully "Dr. Doom" had to say to the newcomers, and all besides Adam, Eli and the girl with them, Clare Edwards, had dispersed. Eli quickly patted Adam on the back, still somewhat distracted and somewhat disturbed by the new kid, Aiden. "You okay, man?"

The smaller nodded. "Yeah, fine, fine. What's even going on here?"

Clare then decided to speak. "Well, this morning, I heard we were getting a few new kids from Minnesota-that's a state in the US-"

"I'm not stupid, Saint Clare."

"-As I was saying, their school was overpopulated and through some sister program, they all volunteered to come here. Apparently, all of them have some family in the area, so it worked for the better. That s what Principal Simpson said to me earlier today."

"...You were in school earlier?" Adam laughed.

"Like she has anything better to do." Eli joked, adding in a small "Ouch" when Clare punching him softly in the arm.

The three, in their continuous bantering, didn't notice another trio that was exiting the bus. Until they heard the large machine begin to pull away did the other new kids attract their attention. The shortest was a very androgynous looking... Boy, who's baggy jeans and plaid shirt hung off of him, and who's light brown hair nearly covered his eyes. The only girl of the group was a bit taller than he, with long, wavy brown hair. She carried a multitude of bags on her shoulders, and had her phone in her hands, texting away whilst speaking aloud to herself, though not very quietly.

"LionAHodges has just arrived at the new school! ...Tweeted!"

"Do you really have to tweet every second of our new lives? Left St. Paul! Bye-bye, USA! Hello Canda, eh!-"

"-We really don't say 'eh' very much... If at all." Eli interrupted the third's ranting, holding his hand out to the taller boy with bright blonde curls. "Eli Goldsworthy."

The latter took his hand almost immediately. "Goldsworthy, yeah, I saw you out the window telling off Aiden... Good for you, good for you. He's an ass, always has been. We're not all like that. I'm Shaye Hayes, and I swear to God, if you make rhyming puns, it'll be the end of you and our friendship." He laughed.

"Who're your friends?" Clare jumped into the conversation, stepping over to where Shaye and Eli stood.

This is Liona... He gestured toward the girl, who was still engulfed in her phone, but then looked up and waved nonchalantly to the aliens. "And Tony." The small boy nodded curtly, before he himself spoke, his voice almost sounding as if he'd not yet gone through puberty.

"And you all are, Eli, Clare-"

"-How'd you know my-"

"I'm a very good listener, 'Saint Clare'. - And...?" He looked over to Adam, who was still standing in the background of the two, gesturing for him to come over and join the group. He did, with almost a look of wonder as to why this kid would want to speak to him.

"I'm Adam. Adam Torres."

"Adam. Right then."

"So, what's there to do here in Canda?...And, Degrassi, at that?" The girl finally spoke up, stuffing her phone into a large bag she held.

"Well, if you're us... Cause trouble, get the shit beat out of you on a daily basis, and stay in the outside circle of life in general." Eli rambled.

Shaye raised his eyebrows for a moment, and smiled. "Sounds about right."

"You Americans don't mind that we're pretty much the freaks of this school?" Clare laughed.

"If you're misunderstood, then you've got something really good going on." Tony muttered, looking a bit at Adam from beneath his bangs.

"Right."

Maybe this half of the year wouldn't be so boring, after all.


	2. 2: Settling

The bell rang to signal the end of classes for the day. Things had gone off pretty much without a hitch, aside from a group of boys (including Owen, Fitz, and their newfound friend, Aiden) getting a week's detention for locking Adam in his locker for the whole day, sending the whole school on a search for him throughout the day, and not finding him till seventh period after hearing the boy's cries echoing from the small, metal box. Mark Ortega got sent to Principal Simpson's office for literally _walking out of school_ in the middle of Mr. Perino's class.

All in all, nothing very new.

After the bell'd finished, Sav Bhandari's voice boomed over the loudspeakers.

"_After school today, there'll be a student council meeting! Any newcomers are welcome to attend! Power Squad is also hosting new semester auditions! Space is limited! Pres, out!"_

In the MI room was a somewhat large group of about fifteen, twenty students, including two new faces who'd gotten off of the bus that morning; Soleh and Kane. The two sat, intently listening to Sav and Holly J speak about second term fundraisers, graduation, and the next year, when the both of them would be gone.

"I need a committee to put together a 'Welcome Back' dance, so anyone who's interested, go see HJ. Meeting adjourned!" Sav finished.

The red-headed Sinclair was standing at a round table next to him, giving a slight glance around the room as she shuffled through a pile of sign-up papers. Kane was the first to walk over, cleaning his glasses with the hem of his shirt and placing them back on as he spoke.

"Ms. Sinclair?" He held out his hand as she nodded curiously. "Kane Aston."

She took it after a moment of thought, shaking confidently. "Kane Aston... You must be one of those new American kids. I haven't seen you much around before."

Suddenly, another figure came up behind Kane. "Soleh Rowland. You're right, we're from Minnesota. Some big, stupid over-population fiasco, plus extended family's in the area." The girl began, taking Holly J's hand out of the grasp of Kane and into her own. "In our old school, I was Council Pres..." She looked over to Kane with a sly smile. "Kane was my Vice." This put a sour look on the boy's face.

"It's going to be different here, Soh. You may have been able to brainwash all the kids back at Como Park with your witty slogans and empty promises-"

"You sound like my kind of girl." HJ interrupted, continuing on a conversation with Soleh as the two walked away, but not before Soleh got the chance to scribble her name onto the dance committee page.

Kane gave a heavy sigh, as he himself penned his name onto the paper, turning around to see Sav. "Hey... Just overheard that-tough, man." He sat, motioning for Kane to sit aside him. "That's what happened to HJ this year... She's good in politics, but... People like you and me, with charisma? We win around here."

"Yeah... But you don't know Soh. She has this way with words, and she can make nearly everyone think how she wants them to... Even me, sometimes!"

Sav patted the younger's back. "Well then, my protege... We're going to give you a way with words that Degrassi won't forget."

Outside, Holly J Sinclair was getting acquainted with the much smaller American girl. "Rowland, it was?" She began, as the pair weaved in and out of underclassmen who were trying to make the late buses. "No respect around here..." The elder muttered. "Last year, I ruled this school. People feared me, kid. You get that?"

"Well..." She snickered. "What happened?"

After giving a look that could kill, HJ said, "Well, Sav decided-out of nowhere!-that he wanted to run. And apparently, people liked him more than me. So, that's why I'm pushing to get good grades so I can get into university _wherever. _You may be a good politician, but you always need to have people like you."

"You know what they say; it's better to be feared than loved." Soleh mused, running her hand along a row of lockers.

"I like you, kid." The incumbent VP smirked. "I think we're going to get along just fine. Next year, you take over this school in the name of Holly J Sinclair, alright?"

Meanwhile, in the gym, a group of girls were vying for a spot-one spot-on Power Squad. The baseline of the music was pounding, and could be heard from most adjoining classrooms. Power Squad captain Chantay Black stood at the front of the room with a clipboard in hand, eyeing up all of the girls who were stretching and preparing for the audition.

"I don't have all day, ladies, so here's how it's gonna go. You have sixty seconds to improv for me-do anything and everythign you can to impress. No redo's, nothing. Now, who's going to be brave and volunteer first?"

Scanning across the room, not a single hand was raised. Girls looked at one another to see if anyone was going to step up, but it looked like no one would be volunteering to go first.

"Really? No one? Seriously guys, you're going to have to grow a set if you want to be on Power Squad. How's about this? I up the ante; if I see someone I want, and you haven't gone yet, you don't even get a _chance _to audition-that's it." She rambled. "So, who's going now?"

Immediately, a girl with brown, chestnut hair stepped forward. "I'll go!" She announced.

"Alright... Who are you?"

"I'm Marilyn Lowe. Recent transfer from Minnesota. I was on my cheer squad back home; we placed in nationals last year."

"Right, right... I've heard of you. You caused the commotion this morning with all the boys."

"Yeah..." She smirked, raising an eyebrow at the small crowd that had gathered by the door. "I tend to do that."

"Give it your best." The music began to play, and it almost seemed less of sixty seconds than minutes. The flips, splits and other tricks the blue-eyed girl showed were completely flawless-and timed just right. Every other girl in the room knew fifteen seconds in that they had no chance.

As the song faded, applause burst from inside and outside the gym. "Wonderful! You're totally in!" Chantay exclaimed. "You'll make it far here, Marilyn." She said as she approached the girl.

"Don't worry; that's exactly what I plan on doing."


	3. 3: Together

**Lolol Author's FailNote.**

**HEY ALL. SO, CHAPTER THREE IS HERE. It's my favorite chapter so far, probably just because I love Adam so much, and Tony's pretty cool, too. :D Please review! REVIEWS, THEY MOTIVATE ME TO WRITE MOAR. xx**

A pair of weeks went by, and with them, more and more "first's" for the exchange students. Obviously, first tests, (including first "A's" and "F's"), first friends, first enemies (This of which particularly focused on Eli's continuous hatred for Aiden Fox), and first tryouts for the new semester of basketball training, along with spring training for football.

But right now, we'll focus on first friends.

Of course, they were still outsiders. All six of them. But they were outsiders _together._ Tony Roth, Liona Hodges and Shaye Hayes had befriended Dr. Doom, Saint Clare, and, well, Adam. The three seniors had pretty much taken the younger three under their wings, causing problems, making havoc... The boy Tony had particularly taken Adam under his wing, although the latter felt somewhat uncomfortable around the new friends. Not because there was anything wrong with them, no, no. He was just afraid what they'd think about his situation; his secret.

Fifth period on a snowy Tuesday. The icky, second day of the week was the one day that Adam and Tony both had lunch on a different period than Eli, Shaye, Clare and Liona. Usually they'd get lunch and sit, eating in silence; Tony, being the louder of the two, would always try to get the younger to walk around and talk throughout the halls. However, Adam would never want to; talking with the new boy could cause problems. What if there was nothing to talk about? What if he asked about his love life? What if _it_ came up and he was afraid?

Tony had been the first person who'd actually began to show an interest in him as a person. Even Eli and he wouldn't have been friend if it weren't for that Dead-Hand concert. Having someone interested in him from the start was refreshing... He couldn't lose that friendship. It was too precious to him to throw away.

"Adam. Adam?" He was suddenly snapped back to reality by the elder, who'd obviously been trying to say something to him when he spaced out.

"Yeah?"

"...Would you mind if we took a walk? It's kind of loud... Stuffy and it smells like jerk in here." He said, nodding his head in the direction of a set of door on one side of the room where Aiden, Fitz and Owen had just entered.

"Oh, yeah... That's fine." Really, it wasn't. But he'd rather deal with an awkward silence than go through another day in a locker. Or on a pole. Or... Ugh, let's not get started on that. Both had finished eating, so they quickly got up and laid their trays atop a garbage can before starting to exit the room.

Everything seemed clear until Adam heard a call from behind them.

"What? Are you stupid trannies gonna run away like the girls you are?" His heart sunk. Fitz always had to ruin everything, didn't he?

"Shut up, you ass." He heard Tony say very cooly; however, if the other had said anything more, he hadn't heard it; for Adam had begun to run away as fast as he possibly could, tears pouring down his freckled face.

He turned through hall after hall, before sliding down his locker and sitting on the ground, finding comfort in the cold metal on his back. Over his crying he could only somewhat hear the yells of his name from a distant hall, but at this point, he didn't care. Tony knew. He was really shocked that the other would even _look _for him. Maybe he'd beat him up. Maybe he'd just completely ignore him. It didn't matter right now.

At that point, a shadow loomed over the small boy. "Adam..." His senior friend slid down and sat next to him.

"Now you know..." He muttered through his sobs, trying to cease them and seem just the slightest bit strong. "I'm transgender! So what? It's not my fault... You can run away, too... Like everyone else."

"Adam..." Tony whispered. "Why would I run away? I'm your friend, and nothing would change that." He continued, placing a hand on Adam's shoulder. "Besides, I sort of already knew."

"Great... Word flies around here, doesn't it?"

"It sort of does... But I knew from the moment I saw you..." He said. "Because, well... Because you remind me of myself."

"W-what...?"

"I'm an FtM too, Adam."

The smaller boy's eyes widened just slightly at the other's statement. "Really...?"

Tony nodded. "I realized it when I was young... But never really took action towards it till middle school or so... There were always-and obviously, always will be-people who don't get it; people who made fun. But... You can't let them affect you. If being who you are gets you beat... You get beat, and..." His voice cracked a little. "You let the people who stand by you stand by you. They can break your bones... But not your spirit."

He pulled up the sleeves on his shirt to show an array of aged black and blues, along with varied depths of cuts. "Liona and Shaye know... We've been friends since grade two. We all have our share of crap. But... Know that you're not alone."

"It's so hard..." Adam began. "I mean, sometimes I feel like there's nothing I can do." He placed his hand on Tony's arm, feeling along the scars. "What're these, if... You don't mind me asking?" He said, his fingers tracing over a set of bumps along the senior's arm.

"Marks from shots."

Adam paused for a moment, almost in shock. "You took dr-"

"-No, no!" Tony laughed. "T-shots... I'd assume you know what they are?"

"Testosterone shots? You're... Going through with that?"

"I started as soon as I was allowed to-when I turned eighteen."

"So... Eventually..." Adam was seemingly talking to himself.

"You can-"

At that point, the sound of footsteps going down the hall began. It began as a soft pattering at first, but grew louder and louder until-

"Hey, Gracie. Amanda." The voice called. Looking up, Adam saw it was Fitz, Owen, Aiden and a few of their stupid friends. Immediately after Fitz, the one who'd spoken, finished his sentence, Tony lifted right out of his place on the ground, pushing Fitz against a locker, hand on his neck.

"Don't you _dare _call me or him that. Ever!" He yelled, flames in his eyes.

Owen grabbed Tony from behind, pulling him tightly into his grip, and Aiden began approaching Adam.

"Adam, run!"

The smaller quickly pulled himself up from his seat on the ground. And, as if on cue, the bell to end fifth period ended, and students (and teachers, to Adam and Tony's relief), began flooding the halls. Owen dropped Tony to the ground with a _thud_, and the three gave them both a look before turning to go to their respective classes, leaving the pair standing mid-hall, mixed in the crowd.

"Hey... Tony, you alright...?"

"Fine. Just... Fine." He said as he brushed off his jacket, rubbing his neck that was red with a grip mark. "You better get onto class then." He nodded toward the direction where Liona, Shaye, Eli and Clare were walking down the hall.

"Hey guys! How was lunch?" Clare started a conversation.

"Anything half decent in the caf?" Shaye laughed, leaning against the locker.

"Uhm..." Adam began, looking up at Tony for some sort of idea of what to say. "We didn't really get a chance to check. Fitz and Owen came in, and so we've been sitting out here."

"They were being general asses." Tony turned to Liona and Shaye, drifting his eyes to Eli. "You get the picture."

"Yeah, I don't know why-"

"Relax, Adam. Liona and Shaye know- and I'd have to assue Eli and Clare do, too. Am I right?"

"About what?" Eli pondered, obviously not cluing into the two's conversation.

"My _lifestyle choice." _Adam stated bluntly.

"Oh, yeah. Of course."

"Tony's like me," Adam continued. "He's an FtM, too."

Liona nodded. "We had issues in the old school. I think we're the only group here from St. Paul who _didn't _have family in the area. We just left to get away. But there are gonna be bastards like that wherever you go."

The group stood there awkwardly for a moment, before realizing that the entire hall had cleared. Eli cleared his throat. "Well... That's good, then." He patted Adam on the back. "Someone to keep you in check!"

The boy huffed. "Well... I have History, now. You're gonna head to lunch, then?"

The four nodded before separating with a few waves and calls of departation. "I'm going to ship off to Calc, then." Tony began.

"Alright... I'll see you, then?"

"Yeah." He turned to walk away toward the glass doors.

Adam went to leave himself, pausing before he quickly turned to back to the other. "Hey, Tony?"

The brunette turned, eyes with a slight sparkle. "Yes, Adam?"

"Thank you."


	4. 4: Peacemaker

**A/N: Guys, I'm SUPER SORRY about not posting sooner. I literally started and finished this TODAY. My computer broke a few months ago, and I was writing on Google Docs using my dad's laptop. But then I wasn't allowed to use it anymore. **** So, here it is! R&R!**

The Dot. A chic, casual hangout for Degrassi students, alum, teachers, and everyone in the area. If you needed someone to study with for the pesky Bio final, they'd probably be at The Dot. Talk to the Class Prez? She's probably at The Dot. The only issue with having one, communal hangout where every clique could run into each other was, well, just that; not everyone gets along. This made The Dot-a sleek, casual coffee shop that you'd never have known it was in flames the June earlier had you not gone before-a constant and simple location for fights. What made it opportune was the conveniently located dark alley and dumpster.

And that's where we were now. Maybe it'd help if we were to rewind a bit earlier into the day; between 5th and 6th periods at Degrassi Community School.

"I thought we were over this shit, monkey brains!"

The speaking boy immediately was slammed into a locker with a loud thud, but not before a fist was slammed into his assailant's face.

Alas, Eli Goldsworthy was _once again _in a fight with Fitz and his crew. Some called him an idiot for not just leaving the violent boy alone. However, the junior never had any intention of backing down from a fight; and this time, he may have just gotten himself in a bit too deep. You see, with the arrival of a few new people at school this semester, Fitz had gathered at least one new recruit; a boy named Aiden Fox.

Fox was always known for being a troublemaker at his old school. He was the poster boy for Catholic education gone _oh-so wrong. _Everyone who knew the boy, or had even seen him on the street knew he wasn't someone you wanted to be around. You name it, he got expelled for it; from something as 'innocent' as refusing to cut his long locks, to beating and hospitalizing an older student (who happened to be Tony Roth; though the latter has tried to block this memory for years).

The last was what got him expelled from Cretin-Derham Hall (A Catholic High School that many wondered how he got into in the first place), and sent into Como Park, the local public High School. Now, you may be thinking; "What _the hell _were his parents doing about this kid?" That's what many adults attribute his attitude to; his parents never did anything for him; the merely _prayed _that the boy would stop. And when the opportunity arose to send him to Toronto to finished his years in high school, they took it as a sign, and began packing their son's bags.

Aiden, coincidentally, was the one holding Eli to the locker by his neck, as Fitz spoke. The former never broke eye contact with the dark brunette, his grey eyes locking in on green.

"You're so lucky we're in school, Goldsworthy..." The bully laughed. "I don't know if you knew, but that never stopped Aiden here before," He continued smugly. "The short freak you've been hanging out with... Amanda?"

The look on Eli's face tensed at Fitz's words. "That's not-"

"It is _her _name. Anyway, let's just say that she was hurting for a while when she tried to stand up with me... Bitch was in the hospital for weeks in a coma." Aiden smirked, lessening his grip on the boy before stepping back. "Now, if that doesn't phase you and you still think we have an issue... Meet me in the alley by The Dot after school." He finished, walking away side by side with Fitz, a few other goons behind them.

For a few minutes, Eli stood there, wide-eyed, ghosting his hand over his neck and the obvious black and blue that would form there.

As this was happening, in another part of the school, ironically, the LGBT Alliance was having an impromptu meeting. "Everyone, I called this meeting because we have a few new faces joining us today. I'd like you all to meet Callie. She was head of the LGBT Alliance at her school back in Minnesota. Ms. Moore, would you like to say anything?"

The tiny girl at the front of the room had white-blonde, straight hair that wouldn't dare cover her beautiful blue eyes. Her voice was high, like a bell, but quiet, so that when she spoke, the room became quiet to listen. "Uhm, hello. I'm Callie Moore... I'm, er, from St. Paul, Minnesota in the States." She paused, thinking of something to say next.

As the girl pondered, in the back of the room, Tony, Liona and Adam (Who Tony convinced to attend) sat down, Liona whispering as low as she could. "Callie's a sweetheart... Thing doesn't have a bad bone in her body. She's a Jain."

"What's that?" Adam whispered, fixing his hat to pull all the way over his mop of hair.

"It's a religion... She like, believes everything has a soul. I think it's sweet, if you ask me." The girl continued. "I mean, she wouldn't step on an ant if it was in her way to get to class."

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?"

"I guess, but it's how she was raised. I've gone to school with her for a few years now, and she just keeps to her own business." Liona sighed, leaning back and straightening out her skirt. "I don't see what the problem is. I mean, I'd do it too, if it didn't mean I had to be a crazy vegetarian-vegan thing or whatever."

As Liona finished, the girl Callie began to speak again. "I don't care who you are; a person is a person, and whatever we choose to do with our lives shouldn't matter to anyone else. That's why I decided to be a part of the LGBT Alliance." She looked down and smiled. "Thank you." Slight clapping ensued, and the twenty five, maybe thirty or so students who had gathered in the room slowly began to disperse toward their own separate classes.

As the three weaved through the small crowd, Adam spoke up. "Tony, you were uncharacteristically quiet in there." He mused.

"Was I?" The elder noted, averted the other two's gazes as his eyes followed a scampering head in the crowd.

The head in question, of course, belongs to the girl Callie Moore, who was rushing toward her locker in hopes she'd make English on time _for once. _But as she stood at the end of the hallway quietly, she saw a boy pinned up to her locker, seeming to have an altercation with- _Aiden Fox?_

"_Does this kid know what he's doing?" _She thought, paralyzed in her place, hoping none of the group would notice her. She only overheard a slight bit of what Aiden said, but she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"...was in the hospital for weeks..."

Callie _clearly _remembered when that'd happened back when Aiden didn't even attend their school; when he came in to Como Park, however, things had just gotten worse. Then, the group of bullies, including Aiden, left the other boy at Callie's locker, the latter obviously shaken, and headed in the opposite direction.

Callie thought for a moment, then decided that she _needed _to get to English _on time _today. As she approached the boy, who was still frozen right by her locker, she recognized that he also was in her English class.

She patted him gently on the shoulder, and the boy snapped out of his trance, rubbing his neck caringly. "I'm sorry..." He muttered, taking a step away from the locker.

"It's fine." Callie said as she twisted the lock a few times, pulling the metal door open. "You're in my English class... Ms. Dawes, right?" He nodded. "I'm Callie." She held out her hand.

The spoken to took it as she girl shook. "Eli."

"I saw what happened with Aiden... I'm sorry I didn't do anything." She said. "Are... Are you going to fight him?"

"Of course I'm going to-"

"You can't! Violence just piles onto more and more violence until we all end up dead!"

"You say that just like Clare, but neither of you get it! I'm not a coward."

She let out a huff of air, finally pulling her notebooks out of the locker. "But I'm assuming you're smart. If it's not you, it'll be someone else. And he'll just continue-as he always has. You can stop it, Eli." She slammed the locker shut. "Listen, you may not know me from a hole in the wall, but I know people like you; it didn't get them anywhere, and look; he's still here. Just... Just think about it." The bell vibrated through the halls. Jumping slightly at the noise, Callie turned on her heels and headed to the classroom.

And that was the sequence of events that led Aiden Fox to wait outside of The Dot for an Eli Goldsworthy that would not show up.

**A/N: So? Tell me some pairings you're shipping now! Any ideas anyone has are GREATLY APPRECIATED! 3 Review, please! **


	5. 5: Teh Hax0r

**A**/**N: So, sorry about everything with delays and all. I was up in the mountains of New York, and did not have internet. HOWEVER, I did write another EIGHT CHAPTERS for you all. So be emotionally prepared for what I have in store. Mountain air does fanfiction writing good. :3**

_Bounce, bounce, bounce._

Media Immersion. To some, the worst class of the day. To others, a welcome break to the boring, normal lectures that came with every other period. In the end, it really just depended on your interest in computers and technology (and whether you were actually _good _at using them).

_Bounce, bounce, bounce._

The new MI teacher that had come in earlier in the year, Ms. Oh, peered around the room, making sure all dress code was kept in check. Over the past month or so, the new changes at Degrassi had slowly grown on everyone. The transfers had began to settle in with groups of friends and deal with the issue of security and uniforms that they hadn't had to deal with back in Minnesota.

_"Even after Tony was in the hospital because of Aiden, we didn't have to go through anything like this." Liona commented as she raised her hands for the metal detector on the first week they'd arrived._

_ "Just proves the kind of security differences in the two countries, I guess." Tony responded, the bang normally kept in front of his eyes pulled back with a small bobby pin so the guard could look him in the eyes._

_ "Or just the amount that the staff cares for the students. I mean, back at Como Park, you were just a number. Don't tell me that you don't think a kid or two from our class just stopped showing up, or died or something and you—well, no one—noticed." Shaye sighed. The guards had taken a liking to looking him over a few times more because of his laid-back attitude._

"You're going to be needing a haircut very, very soon, Mister Hayes."

The blonde groaned. "Can't I just grow it to a point where it's not awkward?" He mused, twisting a finger in his curly hair. The bell rang as Ms. Oh gave him a stern look. "Whatever, I'm not pulling it into some girly ponytail." He snickered, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"She's definitely got it out for your fro, man." Tony laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. It lives!" Shaye raised his fist to the air as he ran out of the room, followed by the shorter, his curls bouncing as he went. Sliding sideways through the door, he did his best to not knock into the small group of students that was coming in the opposite way.

The first in was a Filipino boy who was plugged in with almost every electronic you could think of; iPhone playing music in his ears, DS in his hands along with a few other things that couldn't be identified that were precariously placed inside the messenger bag that was thrown over his shoulder.

"Ms. Oh?"

The spoken of looked up from her desk. "Yes, Tao?"

"I've already finished my spreadsheets for the week, along with the extra blog work you gave me for the weekend." He said, looking into his bag where _something _had beeped.

"Well…" For once, the witty woman was at a loss for words. "I'm not going to give you next week's assignment early." She said, lowering her voice as other students began entering the classroom. "Just work on something quietly for the time remaining. Alright?"

The boy huffed. "Okay, okay." He took his place at the computer right by the teacher, the latter keeping her eyes on his screen constantly throughout the class. The bell rang again, as Wesley Betenkamp and Connor DeLaurier rushed in, taking their seats next to the Asian boy.

"Yo, Tao, what're you doing?" Wesley said, peering over to the boy's computer.

"Nothing Really… Trying to buy some Realm of Doom expansions for all of the computers in here." He muttered. "Makes life much easier when you don't have to fight for the one computer you installed it on. I've finished everything, anyway."

Connor looked impressed, fixing the legs of his glasses on his ears. "Won't that cost…" He paused, thinking, before his eyes widened. "That's four figures, dude!"

"Not when…" Tao clicked a few times. "You do it my way." He seemed concentrated on the screen in front of him, while Wesley looked over at Ms. Oh.

"I think Teach's got something for ya, Tao."

"Nah," He said, not even looking up. "Simpson probably just told her to look out for me. Explains why I'm right in front of her, even though I have the highest grades in the class."

"Why'd she have to look out for you?" Connor asked, continuing typing himself.

"Eh, I just hacked some systems in my old school, back in freshman year. Got into the grades and all." He muttered. "It was pretty awesome, till some teacher caught on to all the failing students getting B's all of a sudden." He scoffed. "But Saturday detentions for the rest of the year were totally worth the pay."

"Pay?" Wesley whispered.

"Yeah. I don't get the big deal, though." Tao said as the bell rang to signal the end of the day, standing with a nonchalant expression on his face. The three walked out, Tao trailing slightly behind as he spotted a stray pen on Ms. Oh's desk, grabbing it quickly and stuffing it into his bag.

Outside the school, a group of students sat at the picnic tables. One table was occupied by a few members of the Degrassi Football Team, including the openly gay quarterback, Riley Stavros, his boyfriend, Zane Park, QB2 Drew Torres, and new defensive-back Mark Ortega.

Mark had arrived with the American bus, and was a new welcome addition to the team as they began training for the next season; after all, in the words of Coach Armstrong, "There's no such thing as practice too early." The team had easily let Mark into their close-knit group, and with the loss of Owen Milligan (Who refused to play anymore on a team with 'faggots'), the junior was always welcome.

"You guys better not lose our title and get lazy when I'm gone!" Riley laughed. "At least I know I'm leaving the team in good hands." He high-fived Drew; the latter had been at competition with the Greek at the beginning of the season, but the team really had a way of bringing people together.

"So, Mark," Zane spoke, trailing his fork back and forth in a salad. "How d'you like Degrassi?"

The freckle-faced boy smiled a bit. "It's good… I mean, I think Mr. Perino had it out for me a bit at the beginning, but now it's all okay." He sighed.

"Well, you did walk out in the middle of his class." Drew grinned. "Who has the balls to do that? Did he like, piss you off or something?"

"Nah," Mark said. "I just remembered that I needed to leave the keys out for my ma. It was urgent, I think."

At that, Drew exchanged looks with Riley. "Well… Couldn't it have waited?" Riley asked slowly.

"I guess, now, looking back." Mark sighed. "But then again, if I look back, there are a lot of stupid things I've done that don't really seem as important. It's not my fault, though. I had an issue back at school where my grades dropped a lot," He continued. "But I knew everything. I just didn't get it.

"So ma took me to the doctor, and he said I have a bit of Attention Deficit Disorder." He shrugged. "But I take meds for it, so I'm good. I think I just forgot, that morning."

"Ah, alright." Zane broke the stillness. "Perino's got something stuck up real far, anyways." He laughed as Riley gently elbowed him, before the curly-haired boy casually placed his hand on the Korean's. "He's determined to fail me—"

"—But there's no beating Zane's Asian powers!" Drew snickered.

"Haha. Very funny." Zane continued dryly. "But in all seriousness, my parents kill for anything that isn't a Park-standard!"

"So, guys! Movie night at my place tomorrow?" Mark offered, trying to keep a conversation flowing carefully.

"Sure!" Riley spoke up.

"Just… Don't mind my mom. She kind of overdoes _everything_." He said, popping a pill into his mouth with a chug of water.

"Does that mean I don't need to bring any snacks?" Zane asked.

"Well, snacks for Zane are sushi, kimchi, all those weird sort of things—I mean, pickled _everything!" _Riley laughed, placing his arm around Zane caringly, the latter playing hurt at his boyfriend's joke.

"Really, I think we'll be covered with food, movie choices, drinks… Et cetera, et cetera."

"Sounds good." Drew said. "After all, we Panthers eat like champs!"

Fitting in with these people wouldn't be bad at all. Not bad at all.

**A/N: So, there's the beginning of the flood for you all! Just because I send in a bazillion chapters at once doesn't mean you're excused from reviewing each of them! *pout* Besides, I'd like to hear from you all some shippings you have. xx REVIEW.**


	6. 6: Home Sweet Home

**A/N: lolol, Ever since I started writing these, I've been trying to think of something interesting to say, but I haven't really found the right thing. So I decided to sing you a song. Kidding. This is probably my favorite chapter to date, just because I love Shaye and Tony's bromance. So I'd love it if you read and reviewed this one. :3 3  
**

Thursday. That awkward day that you're _so exhausted _and the week's almost over, but not quite yet. It had been nice outside, however, that just made it even more of a particularly _long _Thursday for Shaye Hayes. What with the hair incident with Ms. Oh, skipping class to take a nap (He hadn't slept much the night before), along with a few other monotonous classes, the day couldn't have been much more… Blah, persay.

When the day finally reached a close (As it seemed it never would), the blue-eyed boy headed over to his locker as slowly as he possibly could; he hated pulling out of the parking lot at the same time as everyone else—major traffic ensued—and waiting by his locker for everyone to leave just seemed too suspicious.

By the time he arrived at the metal box, Tony was there waiting for him, half asleep, sitting with his bag as a pillow on the tiled floor. The blonde was sure to open his locker very quietly, before dropping a pile of chemistry books on the ground next to the sleeping boy's head, causing the latter to jolt awake with a small yelp.

"Hey, see who's awake!" Shaye smiled mockingly.

"Look who finally showed up! I've been waiting here for _at least _twenty minutes, so I decided to take a nap now, as opposed to _someone _who decided to take his during English." Tony retorted, pulling himself to his feet as he let out a slight, lower-pitched yawn.

"Hear that? Your voice is dropping." Shaye said, pulling a few more notebooks out of the top shelf with ease.

"I know, right? I'm actually quite pleased with the way that's been go-ing." Tony went on, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Oh, are you?"

"Shut up, will you? I'm about three months in, now."

"Ah, is that how long we've been getting shots put in your ass?"

"Soon enough, you're going to be the one putting the shots in my ass, so I wouldn't be saying anything." Tony grinned, his sentence causing the taller to give a reluctant groan. "So, are we leaving anytime soon?" He said, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Relax, relax…" Shaye muttered, giving his locker one more look-through, assuring himself he didn't forget anything, before slamming it shut and pulling on the lock to make sure it stayed that way through the night, though with all the guards, who needed locks for the lockers anymore anyway?

"So, if Oh tries to get me to cut my hair," Shaye started as the pair walked out of the school to a nearly empty parking lot. "I'll just make up some religion or something where I _can't_ cut my hair."

"That's got to be one of your worse ideas… Coming maybe second or third to the 'Let's adventure to Canada, guys!' idea." Tony said, though quickly speaking again after seeing the slight look of hurt on Shaye's face. "I'm kidding! You can't take sarcasm, man."

The pair stopped at an old, cream convertible Volkswagen Beetle, Shaye placing himself in the drivers' seat and Tony sliding into shotgun. It took a few tries, but eventually the ignition started, and the buggy pulled out of the lot.

"It's actually not so cold for almost being February and all." Tony commented.

"Are you kidding me?" The driver retorted, turning the dial on the heat. "It's freezing!"

"Probably because you're wearing goddamn _sandals._" He snorted.

Shaye didn't respond to this comment. The rest of the ride was spent listening to music and thinking of more 'clever' ways to keep Shaye's fro alive (At least until graduation; then, it couldn't be touched). Eventually, they pulled into the tight driveway of their destination.

A small brownstone building; the boys unlocked the front door before taking the stairs to the second floor of the building, where they lived. Shaye threw his keys in the bowl by the door as they stepped into the warmth of their home.

Shaye Haye's parents died when he was fourteen; his father was high, and his mother too in love with her boyfriend (They didn't believe in marriage) to notice the obvious, imminent danger he was putting them both in when he took the car out for a drive that day. They ran into a large patch of rocks and trees in the middle of the afternoon. Shaye was visiting Liona Hodges at the time, and decided to not go out with his parents (They had an important history project due). Neither his mom nor dad survived. With no close family, he was incarcerated at sixteen and began living on his own out of savings that had been left to him and money from working part-time.

Around the same time, Tony… Well, at that time, 'Amanda' Roth finally explained to her parents why she'd been dressing in big, baggy boys' clothes, cut her hair and why their 'daughter' had been in the hospital for a large portion of her freshman year (They were completely clueless as to why Aiden had beaten their precious girl so badly). She told them that 'she', in fact, was not just that; that Amanda was really Tony, a boy; that he was transgender. That day, after school, Tony found his bags on the front steps of his home, with a note in his mother's handwriting that said, "The only person who lives here is our daughter, Amanda. We hope that, one day, she will come home."

She never did.

And that was when Shaye and Tony, who had already been close friends since they were young, began living together. With such an odd pair together, everyday was pretty much an adventure.

Falling onto the plush couch that sat in the living room of the small apartment they'd been sharing for the past month or so now, Tony curled himself into a ball, preparing to go to sleep.

"Not so fast!" Shaye said, sitting himself at the other side of the couch, leaning back. "If you sleep now, you'll be up all night again."

"That's the goal—to eventually become nocturnal." Tony said dryly, letting out an angry moan as Shaye clapped the overhead light on. "Fine, fine. Keep me awake, then."

"Well…" He peered over at the smaller boy who had a blanket wrapped around his person. "What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know! If we're just going to sit here, then I'm sleeping." He pouted.

"Has your mom tried to get in touch with you at all lately?" Shaye began cautiously.

"No."

"I can tell when you're lying to me." He continued. "I've known you long enough. She somehow got the number to the apartment…"

"Don't tell me you picked up!" Tony cried.

"I didn't recognize the number, so I just said 'Hello' and asked who it was! As soon as I realized, I hung up." Tony looked at him unsurely. "I swear."

"I don't want to talk to her. I don't want to hear from her. At all." He whispered, trying to cover the hurt in his voice.

"Then… I'm assuming you won't listen to the ten or so voicemails she's left in the past day?" Shaye asked. "I didn't touch them… Listen to them, or delete them, you do what you want, alright?"

The smaller nodded. "Thanks."

"I'm going to go make some tea… You want anything?"

"Nah, your crazy herbal stuff messes with my head." Tony gave a halfhearted smile as Shaye, quietly laughing to himself, left the room. He sat there for a minute or so, eyes shifting uncomfortably to the blinking red light on the receiver every so often, before leaning over to push it. The machine answered with a resounding beep, playing each message in succession, the female voice growing more frantic and teary with each call, though at one point, they began to grow angry.

_"Shaye? Why did you hang up? Is Amanda there? Please call me back."_

_ "Amanda, I know you're there. Please. Please pick up the phone."_

_ "Where did my little girl go, Amanda? I just want her home… Call me."_

_ "Why did you do this, Amanda? Was it something I did wrong? Did I say something that hurt you? I love you."_

_ "You can't keep living like this, honey. Dad and I just want you to come back… Things can go back to how they used to be."_

_ "Amanda, I've tried your phone tens of times… Why did it say you disconnected your line? This has to stop."_

_ "This 'Tony' persona you've come up with… Take down the charade, Amanda! Give it up, please!"_

_ "This bastard Tony took away my baby girl! Bring her back home, now! Now, Amanda Jessica Roth!"_

_ "You've got to stop lying to yourself Amanda! You're a girl! You're not Tony! Stop pretending!_

_ You are not a boy!"_

**A/N: I dislike Tony's mom intensely. :I She's not a nice lady. Psh. So, yeah. REVIEW. 2 of 8._  
_**


	7. 7: Violence and Secrets

**A/N: God, this is a sad chapter. Well, the beginning is. Sort of. I planned this out for a while, and I hope ya'll are enjoying my little creative influx I had this weekend. 3**

_It was May, 2009 at Como Park High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Graduation planning had begun, final exam prep was beginning, and people were starting to realize that a year was ending. However, for most, this also meant the beginning of summer—and for a certain few, a summer of love._

_ A couple freshmen walked down the empty hallway before sitting down at a small bench; their hands atop each other, fingers intertwined. The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder, the latter peering around carefully, looking out for any stray student who would be heading toward the gym._

_ "This secretive thing… It's so memorably romantic." She mused, curling her knees underneath her._

_ "Yeah… I'm sorry that we can't be out about it…" The boy sighed. "I mean, I wish I could hold your hand in school at a time when everyone _isn't _at an assembly."_

_ "That _who _organized?" She smiled, snuggling herself into him._

_ "That's true. I mean, it's just that people would think of it as some conspiracy—you know how competitive things get around here, Miss President." He said with a slightly sarcastic tone. _

_ "I know, I know Kane."_

_ They realized that when they came back again in September, the secret would be even harder to keep—for, the longer a relationship lasts, the more the love between a couple grows. But in March of his sophomore year, everything would come to a crashing halt for Kane Aston._

_ "I don't care what people think, Kane." She took his hand in the busy hallway, which he immediately swatted out. "Why can't we just be like everyone else and do this?"_

_ "Because, Soh! Because we're not like everyone else!" He raised his voice slightly as the hallway cleared for third period. "People would underestimate us because they'd think we teamed up to win Council Elections!"_

_ "But if they realized why they voted for us—that we have talent—then maybe they wouldn't care!" She exclaimed._

_ "What happened to it being all secretive and romantic, Soleh?"_

"_I'm done with secretive! I just want romantic!" She cried, going on her tiptoes and placing her lips on his with no hesitation. For a moment, it seemed as if everything was everything would be alright (Or so Soleh thought)._

_ That was, until Kane pulled away, slamming her back into a wall, going up, and slapping her, causing the small girl to fall to the ground, wide-eyed. Sure, she'd known he had anger issues… And he said he was working on them. He'd yelled before, but never laid a hand on her—and she wouldn't have it. As she stood shakily, tears coming down her face that was red and obviously would bruise, she looked up to see Kane. _

_ His hands were shaking, and he stared at them in horror, realizing what he had done. "Soleh… I-I'm so sorry." He whispered, taking a step toward her, causing the girl in question to immediately take a step away. "Please… I…"_

_ "Get away from me."_

_ "Soh…"_

_ "Get away!"_

There were a small number of people—close friends of Soleh, like Callie Moore—who had heard the story of the pair's secret love that went oh-so wrong. She would tell them about that, after that day, she would never speak to Kane again; unless it was student council related; until their junior year, where she came into school pretending none of it had ever happened.

Kane, on the other hand, wouldn't tell anyone. No one would know that he began going to twice the amount of classes for his anger, that he had called Soleh hundreds, maybe thousands of times before the year ended, only to discover she'd changed her number. And that still, to this cold day at Degrassi, he was completely in love with her.

Another one of the few people who knew about Kane and Soleh was Liona Hodges. She wasn't close with either of the pair, but she had a way of finding everything out—usually because of her constant check ups on every social networking site. Though this time, it was because she had an uncle who worked security cameras at the school. But she wouldn't tell.

Liona was never quite popular among any group. Having already been friends with the 'tranny' and Shaye (Who made it his mission to be different and go against the flow), she naturally kept in that niche through middle school and high school. The trio was constantly made fun of for a number of reasons; ranging from Liona and Shaye's practice of Wicca to a huge conspiracy some jerk (Likely Aiden) started, that the only reason Tony decided to be a boy was because he wanted to move in with Shaye, and they were _obviously _sleeping together.

Yeah, right.

Liona could laugh just thinking about the idea. Tony, like she, liked chicks. Guess people aren't well informed enough. Liona was probably as far out of the closet as one could get, going to rallies, joining LGBT, even becoming student rep so she could organized a huge trip during her junior year to go to an LGBT Rally in Washington D.C. People sometimes looked at her funny in the halls, but her pride for her cause earned her a lot of respect in Como Park.

Respect, however, was different from all sorts of people. To some, it was leaving her be. Others, a hello in the hall. A high five from a fellow LGBT supporter. But to a smaller portion, it was merely calling her a freak three out of five days in the week, as opposed to the usual Monday through Friday.

"You win some, you lose some." She'd always say.

After all, you never become someone influential the easy way. Today, the hard way included a pop quiz in MI, and a pop English test on the book they were reading. Walking out of the classroom (and looking quite disheveled), she headed over to the cafeteria, joining her five friends who'd already sat down.

"What took ya so long?" Shaye mused, pulling apart whatever was on his plate, trying to figure out what food group it was.

"Dawes gave us a pop test." She groaned. "I mean, I read the book and all, but I just wasn't up for back to back tests today."

"Do you think she's going to give them to all of her classes?" Liona shrugged as Clare spoke worriedly, glancing to Eli. "I'm going to go get my copy of _Jekyll and Hyde_." She said, getting up from her seat.

"I'll go with you!" Eli stammered, stumbling out of his seat and quickly following the curly-haired girl.

"I told you! I'm totally a third wheel." Adam complained to Tony. "They're cute and all, but it's not like 'Oh, Adam! You may have this test too! Wanna come with?' Blah, blah."

"You wouldn't want to go with them, anyway." Liona mused, pulling her cell phone out of her bag. "They're probably making out or something. You wouldn't want to be there for that, would you?" She laughed as Adam shook his head quickly.

"So, what's been going on in your guys' love lives?" Shaye questioned. "Hey, I've never been in a legit relationship—people don't get me. So I'm curious."

"You make it a point to make sure that people don't get you, Shaye." Liona retorted.

"And your point is?" He said. "So, spill."

Everything was quiet. "Don't you go on Facebook, Shaye? None of us are 'In A Relationship.' We're all 'Single.' Well, besides Tony. For Tony, 'It's Complicated.'" Tony laughed as Liona spoke, looking through her phone. "But it's been like that for a while."

"Well, Adam. What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. No, the other Adam sitting _all the way over there._" Shaye said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well…" He blushed slightly. "There's a girl, but there's no way she's into me. She's way too popular, pretty, smart…" He trailed off.

"Anything's possible, Adam." Tony scruffed his head, lifting the ever-present grey beanie off of Adam's mop of brown hair, dropping it on the ground as he pulled his then-beeping phone out of his back pocket, flipping it open with a look, and shutting it immediately.

Adam leaned over the chair to pick up the hat off of the ground, his eyes only to meet a pair of heeled feet.

"I was thinking this was yours…" The shoes' owner said. "But was wondering what it wasn't doing on your cute head." Adam looked quickly up; blushing beat red, knowing that voice anywhere.

"T-thanks, Fiona." He stuttered nervously as the brunette placed the hat back on his head.

"Anytime." She walked off toward Holly J, who was in discussion with Callie on the other side of the cafeteria.

Adam turned back to the group, the blush still lingering on his face. "Anything's possible."

**A/N: Hooray for updates! I still have about five more of these after this one. Heehee! And then, I continue writing. Hopefully 8 chapters can hold people over. X_X Review! Review! 3**


	8. 8:Team Bonding

**A/N: So, it's super awkward for me to write about cheerleaders/cheerleading, since I was an anti-cheerleader for my elementary/middle and what I've been through of my high school years. So please, tell me if it sucked. :3 I want harsh criticism! Nao!**

"Five, six, seven, eight!"

Power Squad. The elite of Degrassi. Girls who proved to be hot, yet still athletic; cool, but still funny. With the latest addition of Marilyn Lowe in the past month, Power Squad's abilities (And by that, we mean popularity) rose beyond anything they'd ever seen. People tried to come and watch practices, and captain Chantay had to get cloth to put over the glass walls and windows to stop the hoards of people that would gather.

It wasn't just the new uniforms that hugged each girl's body perfectly, or the immensely attractive new recruit; said girl was physically amazing, and this allowed for a huge array of new stunts, lifts, and flips to be explored. After all, with new additions, limits didn't exist.

"Okay guys, after practice I need to talk to you all in the locker room, so gather your stuff quickly after this next set, kay?" Anya spoke, her words leaving even the captain confused. There were a few calls of 'Yes' and nods, before everyone went into their separate corners to begin a new pyramid they were working on. The tower was five girls high, with Marilyn at the top, however, the pyramid came in from four corners; almost like a real pyramid. When everyone had piled up, Marilyn jumped from the top as the other girls dispersed, aside from Chantay and Anya, who caught the girl in a basket they made with their arms.

After practice, the girls were all gathered in the locker room to change and listen to what Anya had to say. Most of the girls had changed back into casual sweats, and a few were stuffing their shoes and uniforms into duffle bags to store in lockers till the next practice.

"Hey, guys?" Anya walked in, and most all the attention turn to her. "So, I got a letter today…" She began. "And guess what team has been invited back to Cheerburst this year?"

Her last line caused a huge eruption of screams in the room; girls hugging, giving high fives. Anya tried her best to speak of the loud amount of chatter that had now taken over the room. "Guys! Just so you know, it's the same day as the SATII's, so if you're planning on taking any subject tests…"

Chantay interrupted her. "Eh, who needs 'em? If we win Cheerburst, you can get into any college you want on Cheerleading!" This caused a large number of smiles around the room on all faces around the room except one; Marilyn.

"Yeah… Should be no problem." She whispered.

Later that night was movie night at Mark Ortega's house. The boy was scrambling up in his room, trying to make it half-decent by his mom's standards while the latter set up bowls of chips and candy on the table in the basement, set up Netflix on their TV, and packed the bottles of soda she'd brought home from the store in the mini fridge Mark had bought with his money from the month earlier.

The doorbell rang, and the first to arrive was Drew, with a tray of brownies in hand. "Mrs. Ortega? Nice to meet you, my name is Drew." He said as the woman opened the door.

"Please, sweetheart, call me Carol." She said with a

"Nice to meet you, Carol." He stepped into the living room.

"Markus! Your friends are arriving!" She called up.

Markus. He hated when she called him by his full name. Pulling the last bits and pieces of clothing from the ground and tossing them into a hamper that was filled to the brim haphazardly, he called back down. "Yeah ma! I'll be right down!"

Drew laughed slightly to himself before Mark's mom spoke again. "You can start heading downstairs, if you'd like. Markus seems—"

Mark rushed down the stairs, stumbling on the last few. "I'm here, I'm here." She began panting. "Hey, man." He and Drew fist-bumped. "You know where the lovebirds are?"

Drew laughed aloud this time. "Riley said he was picking up Zane about five minutes ago or so. They should be here soon."

And, as if on cue, there was a soft knock on the door. Mark quickly opened it to see Riley and Zane, hand in hand. Zane held a plastic bag in his free hand, holding it up slightly. "I made Pa Jun." Riley snickered. "It's like a pancake that you can cut up and share. Riley finds the name amusing."

"Zane, Riley, this is my mom. Mom, Zane and Riley."

"Pleasure." Zane released Riley's hand and shook Carol's politely, followed by Riley.

"You two are so cute!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together, causing the boys in question to blush.

"Ma…"

"Alright, alright. You all have your fun. If you need anything—"

"—We got it, ma, thanks." Mark said, motion for the other three to follow him into the basement. Getting down there, Riley and Zane took the couch, Drew falling into a beanbag chair and Mark taking a recliner.

"What do you guys wanna watch?" Mark said, picking up the remote and flipping through the movie library. "Comedy, horror, drama, action…"

"Chick flick!" Zane laughed jokingly. "I, for one, vote for comedy or action. Horror movies freak me out."

"I'm right here, it's fine." Riley said, wrapping his arm around the Asian's shoulder.

"I like comedy." Drew said. "Something with Will Ferrell or Jim Carrey or someone like that."

Mark clicked on the comedy genre, going through some releases. "Oh, oh!" He exclaimed. "How about _Yes Man_?"

"That movie made me piss myself laughing." Drew agreed.

"I've never seen it." Zane commented, earning a gasp from the other three. "Go!"

They pressed play. The movie went on for a while, and the boys let out their laughs where laughs were due, going through scene by scene until they reached the jumper scene. As the man on the screen pulled out a guitar, Zane gasped. "I love this song!"

And that's what caused a portion of the Degrassi Panthers' Football Team to a Third Eye Blind sing-a-long, completely hyped off of all of the caffeine they'd drank through the first half of the movie.

"Wish you would step back from that ledge my friend!" Zane began.

"You could cut ties with all the lies that you've been living in!" Mark continued.

"And if you do not want to see me again!" Riley sang.

"I would understand!" Drew finished, being joined by the other three boys, all somewhat off-key, but just enjoying the time together without the stress of a game, all breaking into laughter as the song went on.

At the end of the movie, they continued on, talking about the upcoming season and all the issues that had been at hand. "Next year, with Drew and QB and hopefully captain…" Riley started. "You guys should still be on a good track. Just get in new, good people who aren't seniors so you're not stuck with a team of crap when you're gone."

"Yeah, yeah. It'll all be good, man." Mark returned. "Like you said, we're in good hands."

"The team's in a good place now. What with Owen gone." Drew commented, Zane nodding in agreement, leaning his hand on Riley.

"Why did he leave, anyway?" Mark asked, looking around for someone to give him an answer. "I mean, I guess I deserve to know cause I'm replacing him."

"Well…" Riley said. "He didn't want to play on a team with people… People like Zane and I."

Mark gave him an odd look. "Really? That's just… Stupid." Riley smiled. "I mean, what does it matter toward your game? You play better than anyone I've seen in a while. You totally deserve your ride to Eastern."

"Speaking of, Zane." Drew spoke, catching the Asian's attention. "Did you get a letter from their Engineering Department yet?"

Zane kept really quiet, a solemn look on his face. Riley looked to him, examining his boyfriend's face, his own expression becoming upset. "Zane… I—"

"You'll have to be dealing with me around for another four years!" He exclaimed! Riley pulled him into a huge hug.

"Congrats!" Mark exclaimed.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Riley said, giving Zane a quick, soft, but passionate kiss.

"Guess those drama classes paid off, right?"

**A/N: I LOVE ZILEY. Can't you tell? Heh. So, more Ziley in the future if you review! And you Eclare fans... Get ready! :O REVIEW. XX**


	9. 9: WellKnown Facts

**A/N: I need to be more creative with these Author's Notes. I like this chapter a lot, just because it delves into Tony's past a little more, and how it's affecting his present. Woo. _ Did I mention you all should review?**

Tony Roth had a terrible crush on Callie Moore.

It was a well known fact among his best friends, Shaye and Liona. It was also a well-known fact that Tony preached of being yourself, and doing what you feel, but a lot of the time, didn't have much of a spine to do just that. Liona feared that if Tony didn't do something soon, he'd go back into a depression like he had a few times in the past. Shaye feared that if he did try, he'd get shot down. Both had the same fear.

Tony had gone into deep states of depression only twice in the recent past. The first time was after he'd gotten out of the hospital from the incident with Aiden. Missing three months of school during freshman year was tough already, but to add insult to injury, Aiden had told everyone about him when he went back. The whispers, the stares, they were all too much. Tony barely spoke to anyone, not his friends, not family, for months. Shaye and Liona just spent time with him, and eventually he opened up again.

The second time was a little more traumatic. It was after his mother had kicked him out. The only thing that really worried Liona and Shaye this time was if Tony had been debating going back to being Amanda again. However, of all of the things that Tony did and went through in his bouts of depression, he never once wanted to be Amanda again. He was kept under constant watch by Shaye, which was the first reason they'd moved in together.

Now neither of them wanted to see their friend like that for the third time in a sequence of four years. To them, Tony finding someone like Adam was great for his self-esteem; they knew he'd keep up to keep Adam up. Tony wasn't one to let people down.

Callie Moore was very accepting of any and all people, and she'd spoken to Tony many a time, always asking about his life and choices. Tony wasn't usually comfortable talking to people about Amanda or his ideas for his own future. But for some reason, he felt fine talking to Callie… Almost relieved that someone didn't care what he wanted to be. He'd confided to her about his bank account that he'd been keeping since he decided to be Tony in the 8th grade. It was his fund for hormone treatment, and one day, surgery.

Over time, he felt attracted to her; however, he never really believed that she'd ever be drawn to him as he was to her. After all, no matter what people _said, _they always felt what they felt. If you said something enough, you yourself could even believe it to be true.

"Ugh, study hall is _completely _pointless." Shaye moaned. "They tell us that its homework, and we need to do it at _home_. So give us more time home, then!"

"Shaye, you have some 'fight the system' complex." Liona mocked. "I mean, just sit and draw or something. Write a depressing poem. Whatever you do." He gave her a sarcastically amused face.

"Where's Tony? He'd agree with me."

Liona nodded her head in the direction of a pair of desks a few rows up from them. There Tony sat, talking to none other than Callie Moore. "You encouraged this, didn't you?" Shaye hissed.

"Maybe." Liona said in a singsong voice.

"Why?" Shaye whispered. "You know that if she rejects him… He'll know why! And you know what will happen!"

"But if he never tries, the rest of his life will all be 'what if's!" She responded.

On the other side of the room, Callie and Tony spoke, oblivious to the argument that was going on about them only a few desks away. Their desks were connected, side by side.

"So, your mom wants her daughter back?"

"Basically, yeah… She's been trying to get back in touch with me lately. But I have nothing to say to her… In her words, she doesn't have a son."

Callie smiled. "I'm proud of you. I mean, if it were me, I don't know if I could have left my family like that."

Tony sighed. "Well, when it's a choice between being who you are, or living the rest of your life in a lie…"

"You took the right option." She smiled.

Tony blushed. He always blushed when she smiled. He couldn't help it. She was just so _at peace _with herself and life. Her eyes were so pure, so _perfect. _Her hair was beautiful, even when it was pulled into a messy bun as it was today. She was smart, witty, funny…

"You think?" He sighed. "No matter what's ever happened, I don't think there's a day I've regretted my choice. I mean, I regret that my mom and dad don't understand. And I regret that they still want Amanda to come home. But I can't change their views."

"You can save some of the people some of the time, but you can't save all of the people all of the time." Callie mused, scribbling in the notebook in front of her. "You don't have to listen to anyone but yourself, Tony."

"Nice mantra." He grinned.

"Besides, I like you just the way you are." She wasn't lying. Callie Moore had always admired Tony, but other a period of time, and listening to him open up to her, she couldn't help but to realize that she had other feelings for the boy. However, Callie being herself, she'd never act upon them. She was far too quiet and shy; too afraid would be an incorrect term. She wasn't afraid to be with Tony, or to even try to. She just didn't know how.

_Just the way you are._

If he waited any longer, someone else could notice everything _he _noticed about her. He couldn't wait any longer. He wouldn't. That's all that went through Tony's head as the pair sat there in a silence of their own, although the room around them roared with sound.

_Speak up Roth. Speak. Up. It's now or never. Now or never. Now or—_

The bell rang, interrupting the boy's train of thought. People got up all around and began to exit the room in masses.

_Never._

When he got back into his head, he realized that Callie had gotten up and was beginning to follow the mesh of the crowd out of the room. "…Wait!" He called after her, causing the Arian girl to turn back quickly, eyes glistening with curiosity. He stepped over to where she stood along the windowed side of the room. "I… I was wondering if you wanted to get a coffee or something at the Dot after school." He tripped slightly over his words, his voice cracking occasionally.

_Great, hormones. You have to be a bitch now, of all times? Of course you do._

The girl stood there quietly for a moment, her silence causing Tony to panic. "Or, erm, tea or something? I prefer tea over coffee myself, I just didn't know if—"

She held her hand out to him, her soft voice—one of the numerous things he loved about her—interrupting his idiotic stammering. "It's a date?" She asked softly, a slight grin plastered on her face.

"Only if you want it to be."

She didn't give a direct answer, only took her hand in his. "Walk with me to French?"

Tony gave a glance back at Liona and Shaye, who stood at the other side of the room; other face ecstatic, the other nervous. After he gave a nod, they each returned it and walked out of the secondary door.

Grasping her hand tightly, and in slight disbelief, the brunette walked the blonde out of the classroom and down the hall. "Anytime."

**A/N: So, when I was originally writing this, I never intended for Tony and Callie to ever be together. But the more I thought about it, the more it worked. Hooray! So tell me, what would you all think if I gave you pictures as to what all these crazy exchange students are supposed to look like? (Review. X3)**


	10. 10: Revenge & Karma

**A/N: So, who's ready for an obnoxiously long chapter? :D I know I am! This one is about two times the length of the past couple of chapters. Yey. When you read it, you'll understand why it had to be. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed here. I hope you all love me now, because by the end of this chapter, you're gonna hate me. -w-**

Revenge.

It's not a good thing to set your life for, or to consider through the course of time. Karma always seems to have its own, special way of making sure that things work out for those who deserve it… And, well, not, for those who, on the contrary, don't. However, when revenge comes into play, and one who has been wronged in the past takes matters into his own hands, the bad karma is then placed on his shoulders.

Even those who don't believe in karma can agree that those who do good things will one day receive their reward, be it in the form of heaven, nirvana, or whatever you believe, and those who do wrong will get their just desserts, burning in hell, being reincarnated again and again… That was Eli Goldsworthy's philosophy on life. That what goes around, comes around.

And lately, it seemed, that the advice he'd received to not go and fight Aiden was working out pretty well. He'd been doing well in school, he and Clare fought less (if not at all), and even Morty was breaking down less and less. Maybe he'd try and keep the peace more often, he considered. Maybe Clare had been right all along. I mean, after the incident with the knife at the _Night in Vegas _dance, which was part of what started this whole security and uniform mess, Clare had been very, _very _upset with him. Luckily, his persistent apologies via text, call, and midnight visits paid off.

Though after a period of time, that new kid Aiden just kept digging deeper and deeper under his skin. It's like he had a detailed manual entitled "How to Piss Of Elijah Goldsworthy". Eli didn't like this one bit, and although he nearly cracked the week earlier, he'd managed to keep himself out of trouble so far.

Besides, Valentine's Day was coming up, and he couldn't do anything that would put the prospect of Clare being his Valentine at risk. So when Eli was sitting outside of the school one day (he'd gotten there early to get a good parking spot) and he saw none other than Aiden Fox, ponytail and all approaching him, he immediately got up and began to walk away.

"What, are ya gonna run off again, Goldsworthy?" He heard the boy shout from behind him. "C'mon, answer me!"

"I'm not causing any problems." He replied coolly, continuing on his walk toward the stairs. _Deep breath in, deep breath out._

"Well you already started a problem with me!" Eli felt his body jerk toward the side of the school; one half lined with trees, the other, the side wall of the building. Aiden had pulled him by the arm in the direction.

"Listen man, I don't want any issues!" Eli asserted, his heart pounding.

"You didn't show up last week, wimp." He pushed Eli's shoulder once, twice toward the brick wall. "Why was that?"

"I'm not fighting you." He replied, holding his shaking hands behind his back. _Don't show him your fear, Eli._

"Oh, don't worry," Aiden give a slight smirk. "I had no intentions that a _two-sided fight _would be involved."

And before Eli could think, a punch landed him squarely in the side of the head, slamming it into the stone as everything went black.

Later that day, Clare and Adam sat in Ms. Dawes class. They had to gather into their usual groups of three, and write and perform a movie transcript in their assigned genre. A screenwriting project that would count as a major part of their final grade; this would include designing a poster, advertising, casting fellow students, and keeping a fake budget in line. Adam, Clare and an absent Eli had received romance ("Of course! We couldn't get action or something? This is rigged!" Adam had exclaimed), however, the group couldn't move on until Eli came into school.

"He told me that he was coming in to get a spot before everyone else… He called me on his way, and offered me a ride, but I didn't want to wake up that early." Adam explained when Clare questioned her boyfriend—oh, how she loved calling him that—'s absence.

"I'll call him, then." She said, whipping out her phone and dialing a number, her face growing from impatient to worry. "It's off."

"Ms. Dawes, may I go to my locker?" Adam called out. She nodded, and Adam left the classroom, leaving a slightly distressed Clare behind.

"Nice of you to join us, Mister Fox." Ms. Dawes said suddenly in a light British accent.

"Yeah, sorry, sorry." The golden-haired boy with a ponytail muttered as he walked in.

"No extravagant excuse for your lateness?" The teacher questioned.

"Eh… I was in the bathroom." He continued, sitting at a desk in the back. "Do you want anymore details, teach?"

"Just the details of how you'll be getting to detention later. Got me?"

"Yes ma'am." He saluted to Ms. Dawes sarcastically.

A few minutes into the period, the sounds of an ambulance pulling outside of the building resounded. The natural reaction of the class was to pile up by the windows, peering out. You couldn't tell who the kid on the stretcher was that was being rushed into the ambulance because of all the blood; however, because of the khaki uniform pants, one could tell it was a boy.

All of a sudden, Adam rushed into the classroom, a look of panic on his face. "Ms. Dawes, I'm sorry I took so long. I-I just—"

"—Relax, Mr. Torres. Take a breath…" He did just that. "And speak."

"I had to call the ambulance…" He continued, panting. "I saw E-Eli…" His voice cracked on the boy's name, Clare's heart dropping. "He was in the alley beside school… H-his whole body was covered in blood…" He went on, his voice on the verge of tears. "He hadn't been in school all day… I mean, he was unconscious and cold… He must've been out there since the morning." At that, Adam broke into desperate sobbing, Clare silently following as she ran to her friend, pulling him into a shaky hug as the ambulance drove away.

"E-everyone, please settle down…" Ms. Dawes said, also obviously shaken by the events that had unfolded in a matter of minutes. The class slowly began to get back into their seats, some whispering about what had happened.

Clare and Adam also sat in their seats, both pairs of eyes glued on the empty seat in front of the girl that was usually occupied by a dark haired, emerald-eyed, sarcastic, witty boy who would be painting his nails with a black Sharpie marker. Clare turned to Adam, who was drying his face of tears with the sleeve of his blue, buffalo-plaid shirt.

Looking past him, as Adam did not make eye contact, Clare saw the only face in the class that didn't have any concern on his face; Aiden. Adam, noticing Clare's focus on the boy, tapped her on the shoulder. "Clare… Clare!"

She snapped back into his attention. "…Y-yeah?"

"What's wrong…? I mean… Besides the obvious." Adam whispered.

Clare sighed lightly. _It's nothing. _She thought. _He's just a heartless person. Why would he care about Eli? _"Nothing." Her eyes began to focus on her feet, finding a particular interest in the beading that lined the toes of her flats. "Do… Do you think he's going to be okay?"

"Of course he is!" Adam immediately replied, as if trying to convince his statement to himself, as well. "He's Eli Goldsworthy. Eli, 'Smartass' Goldsworthy." He smiled. "If anyone can get through this, it's him."

After school, Adam and Clare were not allowed to visit Eli. They were told that it was under doctor's orders, and that it would be better for everyone involved if he were to be left alone. Of course, if it would help Eli, the pair would be more than happy to oblige.

The next day in school, Eli wasn't there. It wasn't like they expected him to be, but his absence from their lives was beginning to take a toll on Adam and Clare. At the beginning of first period, which for the two present members of the trio was MI, the television screens turned on, and Principal Simpson appeared on the screen.

_"As many of you may or may not know, an ambulance was at the school to take a student who had been attacked to the hospital. If anyone has any information on who may have done this, be sure to see me as soon as you can. The student in question, junior Elijah Goldsworthy, is presently in grave condition at the hospital. We ask that you keep him in your thoughts."_

Eli. Their Eli. Grave. Grave condition. At the hospital. No. This couldn't be happening. This sort of thing only happened in her nightmares after the dance, Clare thought. She hadn't noticed she was wavering back and forth on her exercise ball, and that her hand was violently shaking, and Adam placed his own on hers, trying to calm the girl down. "Clare…" His voice came out in a pained whisper.

At that point, a knock came on the door to the MI room. It creaked open slightly, and the source of the knock stepped through the door; it was Tony. "Ms. Oh… May I please speak to Adam and Clare?"

The woman nodded, and motioned for Adam and Clare to exit the classroom with the senior, both grabbing their bags and leaving in silence. "It was Aiden, wasn't it?" Clare spoke, looking to her feet. "That's why you brought us out."

"It had to be…" Tony said. "It's just like what happened to me as a freshman." He swallowed with difficulty. "I was in the hospital for three months." He finished quietly.

"We need to go to Simpson. Now." Adam stated, looking to the other two who both nodded in agreement. The trio kept in silence as the journeyed to and fro through the halls, their eventual destination being the Principal's office.

"I'm going to have to talk to him about what happened to me. I don't think they carried it over with Aiden's records... For whatever reason." Tony said as they stood outside the wooden door that many feared.

Clare was the one who knocked on the door before they entered upon hearing a call of 'Come in' from their old teacher, and new principal.

"Mr. Torres, Mr. Roth, Miss Edwards, what can I do for you?" The slowly balding man asked as he sat at his desk, shuffling through a few papers and manila folders that were scattered atop the wood piece of furniture.

"We think we know… Who hurt Dr.—Eli." Adam said, biting his lower lip just slightly at his near nickname calling of his injured friend.

Immediately, Snake (as he was called many years ago)'s eyes grew in concern. "Please, sit." Clare and Adam took the seats that were already situated in front of the desk while Tony pulled over a fold up chair that had been resting against a bookcase on the far wall of the room. "You need to have some valid reasoning for your thoughts, I'd assume… Miss Edwards?"

"Yes sir…" She gulped slightly. "We have reason to believe that Aiden Fox hurt our friend."

"Are you sure that this isn't one of your scapegoat stories, Miss Edwards? I have reason to doubt your testimonies." The principal retorted.

"Clare isn't lying!" Adam exclaimed. "Aiden and Eli have always had issues, but Eli's been trying to put it away. But Aiden jumped him in the hall the other day, and Eli never showed up to some sort of 'appointment' they had… And I heard Aiden was angry."

"But this doesn't prove that this student has the capacity to put Mr. Goldsworthy in the hospital in such a horrible condition that he is in. I'm sorry, but—"

"Sir, I know that I'm new here," Tony interrupted. "But I have a history with Aiden—one that I've tried to block from my memory." He shut his eyes once, before opening them up and looking over to Simpson again. "I began acting on my true gender when I was in the eight grade.

"Aiden, at the time, had been attending a Catholic school near Como Park—our home school—and had always stopped by our school after the day was done to hang out with his friends and smoke, and do whatever they do. He'd known me way back when, when Amanda existed, and saw me one day and recognized me." His voice grew pained as he continued. "One day, after school, he jumped me and brought me behind the school. Said he wanted to talk. …I was a fool and believed him. He beat me, ripped apart my clothes and made me look in a mirror… Told me to say I wasn't a boy, over and over again. I wouldn't… And that's when everything went black.

"That was in December. I woke up that March." He whispered. "My heart had stopped on more than one occasion. I was on life support and needed lots of new blood. But the worst part is… I'll never get those three months of my life back. I'll never forgive him."

The room stayed silent for a good portion of time. Adam's face looked heartbroken, Clare horrified, and Simpson just plain disgusted. The latter was the first to speak. "…Why was I never informed of this before?"

"Because I knew there was nothing anyone could do… His parents work in church and government back home… And the contract we're all under is that we can't be expelled… We're to graduate from Degrassi Community School, when our time comes." He laughed dryly. "It's all part of the experiment. And… As we know, some guinea pigs never make it out." He stood. "Now, I hope this is all you need. Suspend him, I don't care… Whatever happens won't take back what he did."

Adam stood after him. "Thank you for your time, sir." Simpson couldn't do anything but nod as Adam took Clare's hand and led her out of the room, pulling his hat over his slightly puffed eyes, following Tony. Clare could only nod to Mr. Simpson, as she was at a loss for words; and even if she knew what to say, she wouldn't be able to push it out, anyway.

As soon as they were a few steps out of Simpson's office, they heard a booming voice over the intercom.

_"Aiden Fox, report to the principal's office __**immediately.**__"_

Tony patted the younger two on the back. "I feel useless." Clare whispered. "Like there's nothing I can do for him."

"I won't lie to you…" Tony replied, squeezing her shoulder. "At this point, you've done all you can do."

"Don't worry, Saint Clare." Adam grinned. "You can believe in him."

"Very funny. You think you can rat me out that easily?" They heard a voice from across the hall. "You have no proof. I mean, why would I, a Catholic-educated boy, beat your friend into oblivion? I'm so very sorry he's in the hosp—"

"Cut the crap, Aiden." Tony snapped. "I told Simpson what you did to me. And I have _proof _of that."

The tall boy's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't." He stepped up right in front of Tony.

"I'm not going to live the rest of my life being afraid of you. I'm _never _going to forget what you did to me… I have to scars as a reminder of what _scum _you are." Tony hissed. "Whatever you get in there… You deserve it a million times more."

Aiden pushed past them, shoving Tony hard in the shoulder before heaving off into the office.

"Let's go." Adam said. "I want to go to the hospital to see him… They have to let us in to see him."

Clare looked over to Tony. "Did… Did they let people see you?"

"Well, after a little while, yes… Or so Shaye and Liona told me." He gave them a nervous look. "It's really not the patient they worry about… It's that you really won't _want _to have seen him after you do."

Clare swallowed hard, before speaking quietly. "As much as it hurts me… I have this feeling that it'll help him for us to be there."

"Then, go we shall."

**A/N: So, I feel the hate mail coming on. BRING IT. Or, for you Eli-haters... Spread the love! Via review, of course. ;D (OhyouseewhatIdidthar)**


	11. 11: Relief

**A/N: The crazy influx of chapters is almost over! Oh no! What will I ever do with myself? (Write moar. Duh.)**

What with the junior getting attacked or whatever, things had been pretty out of shape at Degrassi—more so than what everyone had gotten used to after the changes that occurred after winter break. Not saying that the school had much implemented many changes, aside from the fact that Aiden Fox had been suspended until Eli returned to school. If, in the horrific case, he didn't return, then Aiden would return upon that occasion.

This, of course, caused uproar among certain groups of students. The idea that Aiden would be allowed to return on the occasion that Eli were to _die _at that boy's _hand?_ But alas, there was nothing that could be done. Aiden would graduate from Degrassi, whether the faculty, students and parents liked it or not.

In the meantime, those students who weren't directly affiliated with the issue continued on with their day to day activities, classes, tests, extra-curricular activities, et cetera. The Power Squad began prepping for Cheerburst, making sure that, at each practice, every cheer got louder and peppier, every move was executed to a 'T', every lift effortless, and every pyramid in its proper form. To them, there was no such thing as too much practice, and everyday was an added gift.

That didn't mean, however, that they couldn't take some time to break and have fun as a team. After all, the better bonded they were, the better they worked as a team. Jenna offered to host a sleepover at her home; after all, she wanted the group to get acquainted with her son, Colin. The little boy was fast asleep the entire time, but girls being girls, he was often cooed at, held, cuddled, and fed. When he'd open his little blue eyes, the whole group would 'Awww' in excitement.

At around midnight, the girls all set up in a circle in the basement, Jenna holding Colin on her lap. Chantay and Anya sat on one side, going through fliers and promo packets for flights and the official competition hotels. A series of magazines filled with swimsuits, shift dresses, sandals, and other items of that sort carpeted the ground, scattered among a series of differently colored, textured and shaped pillows.

Marilyn lay on her stomach, flipping through a notebook she kept all of her school reminders in. Whether it was for classes, SAT's, or Power Squad, it was all in that notebook. She tended to be very organized over everything (except her room, of course), and was always one to schedule events—and more importantly, dates. Marilyn Lowe was always popular among guys. And you know what? She didn't mind it one bit. In fact, she really _enjoyed _all of the attention that she received. She wouldn't call herself a slut, no, no. She merely used what she had to her greatest ability and wasn't ashamed of it one bit.

However, Marilyn came from a line of intelligent people. And it wasn't to say that she wasn't intelligent, either. But if she came off as a nerd, it would distract from her reputation. That was just why she couldn't miss her French and ecology SATII's. Her future in college and beyond depended on it. Not some _stupid _cheering competition. She'd been in many before, and would be in many again. But she had to go. Wasn't there _any way_ to do both?

"Guys, where do you think we should stay?" Chantay brought up, going through a brochure. "There's this one right on the beach! That seems nice."

"I'm so excited. What was it like last time you went?" Jenna asked, running her fingers through the small wisps of gold hair that graced her son's head.

"Well, it's mostly some demo's and parties." Anya began, lying back and leaning on the couch behind her. "I didn't really think it would be so… Relaxed. We had a lot of time to just chill out on the beach. Plus, this time of year is all nice and warm already down there, but its off-season, so there's no one down there!"

"Er… I have a question." Marilyn called out. "My dad's like, totally making me take a bunch of SATII's, so… Do you know if there's any way that's possible?"

"Well, you can take them somewhere else… But it probably costs more." Chantay said. "But really, that shouldn't be a problem."

"Oh, okay…" Marilyn sighed in relief. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"Man, that's a bummer that your dad's making you do all that schoolwork." Jenna yawned. "You're in all advanced classes and stuff, right?" Marilyn nodded. "…Is it difficult?"

"No, not really, actually. I have to balance work and play, and sometimes, work takes over."

_Yeah, work being school, job, second job, chores, cleaning… A day in the life._

"That sucks." Another girl added.

"The science and stuff is such a drag…" Marilyn added, for effect, of course. _Stop kidding yourself. You love the science. It's your life. It's what you want to do. Your future._

"Well, you don't necessarily have to just be focused on Power Squad." Anya added. "I want to paint in college. Just because I do Power Squad now doesn't mean I will for the rest of my life. I love it and all, but you can't have a one-track mind."

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Liona Hodges sat in her room at home, the smells of incense wafting through her tiny room. Honeysuckle. She pulled her laptop off of her desk, and lazily slid with it on a rolling chair over to her bed before plopping down in the ocean of pillows she'd collected over time.

Flipping open the lid, she signed onto her Facebook, Twitter, Skype—you name it—all at once, peering over each quickly before making a few updates on all of them, mostly regarding her hopes for the health of Eli. Later on, she noted to herself, she'd have to message Tony or Clare or Adam; she knew that they'd gone to visit him, and she was curious as to how he was doing.

She plugged her headphones into the jack—her parents didn't care how long she stayed up, so long as they were given the peace of sleep—and began going through the pages individually. The first thing she pulled open was her Twitter, scrolling through the various feeds she'd followed, ranging from bands to old friends to basically everyone in the Degrassi network; after all, how else was she supposed to keep up with everything going on in the school?

"Blah, blah… Boring…" She talked to herself as she scrolled down, now switching to Facebook. Looking at the time in the top right corner of her Mac, she clicked on her friend list. A—not surprisingly—large number of people were online at about 11 o'clock. After all, everyone would be getting home from any nighttime activities, and they, like she, needed to catch up on the day's events. Nothing new really caught her eye as she went through the never ending news feed (having over 500 friends did have its downsides), so she decided to go through the Top News. If anything was important, it would be there. Aside from a few minor relationship changes, the most interesting of which was poor Kane Aston changing himself to 'It's Complicated', nothing caught her eye.

Suddenly, a resounding tune began playing in her headphones; someone was calling her on Skype. She quickly turned on the web cam that was built into her small computer, giving a slight smile on seeing where the call was coming from.

"Hello?" She whispered slightly.

A girl with pixie cut, light pink hair appeared on the screen opposite she. "Hey! Long time no speak!" Liona smiled just hearing the sound of the other girl's voice.

"It's been too long, Jolene." She sighed, kicking the slippers off of her feet and tossing them to the ground.

"What, you think you can break up with me, run off to Canada and not expect me to bug you every minute of the way?" The girl Jolene laughed on her end. "Listen, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead, shoot." Liona continued casually, thinking nothing of it.

"Well, now, we both graduate in a couple months… And we're both heading to McGill, right?" Jolene started nervously. "Well… A couple months shouldn't be that bad, right?"

"What're you saying, Jo?"

"I'm saying I want to try and work it out for the next few months till we're reunited." The girl on the camera bit her cuticles—this made Liona smile; Jo always did that when she was really uneasy or nervous.

"But you know what long-distance relationships can do… All that strain, trust issues—"

"Trust issues?" Jo began cracking up. "I trust you, Li." She paused. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course!" Liona whisper-exclaimed without hesitation.

"Well, you're the one who was always saying to throw caution to the wind. Here's me—hopefully, us—doing just that." Jolene held up the sign language symbol for love on her hand before closing out the chat and signing off of Skype.

"Typical Jo… Make a dramatic gesture, and don't even give me a second to answer!" Of course, she wanted more than anything to be back with Jo—although she hadn't given a reason when they broke it off, the latter knew it was because of the distance. The care they had for one another was evident.

Flipping onto her Firefox once more, she clicked over to her Facebook, and, going through her friends, saw that Tony was on. _He must be home from the hospital. _She thought. Clicking his name, she typed quickly into the chat box.

**Me: **Hellooo?

**Tony:** Hey. -.-

**Me: **Tired?

**Tony: **Not really. Just was a long process.

**Me: **How's the kid? Someone's gotta being overreacting over at school.

**Tony: **Not really.

**Tony: **He's bad, Lio. Really bad. Adam and I had to carry that poor girl out of there. Ya couldn't recognize the kid.

**Me: **Did the doctors say anything about him?

**Tony: **What did the doctors tell you about me, Lio?

**Me: **…They said you didn't look good.

**Me: **At all.

**Tony: **And they weren't lying. Not then, not now.

**Me: **What's exactly wrong?

**Tony: **Dunno exactly, but from what I heard, blood loss, head trauma, broken ribs, and his spine may have been cracked.

**Tony: **If that's the case, he's a goner. Didn't have the heart to tell that to Clare tho.

**Me: **Let's stop talking about this really depressing stuff, okay? :I

**Tony: **Well, Shaye and I are prob gonna watch a movie or something now. Guy crap. But I'll talk to ya later, or tomorrow or something.

**Me: **Wait!

**Tony: **?

**Me: **You'll never guess who I was talking to before.

**Tony: **Ellen? :O

**Me: **Very funny, haha. No, Jolene!

**Tony: **Like, your lover that we painfully separated you from? ;D

** Me: **The very same. :P

** Tony: **That's cute. Well, don't get yourself in legal trouble. I have no money to bail you out. :T

**Me: **Go do your guy stuff.

**Tony: **Happily. Night!

**Tony is offline.**

"That sucks about Eli…" She sighed. It was hard enough going through all the hospital angst with Tony. Now this poor kid could be dying when he was trying to make peace. "What's this world come to?" Liona lay back, clicking off the lights in her room, so that the only light came from the computer screen. Returning to her homepage, she saw a little notification in her top right corner. It read "1 Relationship Request".

She clicked on it, the side of her mouth twitching into a grin. "Jolene Rosa has listed that you and she are 'In a Relationship'. You must confirm this request before it becomes public." She read aloud. She slid her mouse to the first button, and clicked 'Accept'.

The world could've been falling down around her; but for then, Liona would stay in her state of bliss.

**A/N: I love Liona and her family. My irl Liona, I miss so much. 3 But that's another story for another day. So, I just thought I'd let you know that I don't ask you all to review just because the number of reviews looks impressive or whatever. I really love hearing what people have to say about my writing and characters. Tell me if you cried or laughed. If you think I have people too OOC. I wanna know. xx Review.**


	12. 12: Forgiven

**A/N: This is the last chapter in my big flood of creative mountain chapters! It took a lot of debating for me to decide what I wanted to do with this group/couple, but I made a choice and am very happy with what I picked. Tell me if you agree or disagree! xx  
**

Things at Degrassi were relatively quiet that Tuesday. The majority of the student body was contained inside the gym for a violence assembly, aside from the President and Vice President—they were told to work on the finishing touches for the upcoming Valentine's Day dance. And due to the pair's track record, what with being alone and dances, the principal insisted that they take another par of students with them.

The other students didn't have to necessarily _help _with the dance planning; they merely had to be there for 'safety' reasons. As Holly J put it, 'babysitting'. That's why Sav and HJ took none other than their up and coming protégés, as they called them, Kane and Soleh. This, you could imagine, was very awkward for the pair; for as their mentors sat inside the closed classroom, they were left alone out in a hallway. Together. During an assembly. Just as they had many moons ago.

Soleh attempted to make herself seem busy by going through piles of papers, books, pens, pencils, and other random articles of crap that she'd stuffed into her bag in haste just minutes earlier.

_"I don't get why I have to sit outside from some violence assembly with you." Soleh complained as she opened her locker._

_ "Why do you need to know why?" Holly J mused. "You're getting out of some drab assembly you've probably seen hundreds of times before—not saying I assume Minnesota is some hell house, or whatever."_

_ Soleh began to reach up, pulling a notebook or two from the top shelf—if she was going to get some quiet, she might as well make the most of it. "Yeah, the kids in the high school and grammar school had to go to some assembly when this freshman was almost killed." She yawned slightly. "It was kind of horrific. They used pictures of the poor thing and all."_

_ "So suck it up. Sav and I basically had to take two people to _babysit _us. So while we work on Valentine's Dance stuff, you and Kane can just sit around and do whatever." Soleh froze in her place. "What's wrong?" Holly J asked upon seeing the 'I'm-gonna-be-sick' look on the girl's face._

_ "I'm not dealing with Kane alone."_

_ "You see him everyday. I don't get the problem."_

_ "In groups. We have a… erm… complicated past." Soleh muttered, now shoving everything in her sight into the small bag that wouldn't take much more. _

I'm gonna need this. _She thought._

_ "Well _I _don't care." Holly J shut Soleh's locker. "I can't deal with anyone else sitting in watch besides you. If anyone else, it'd be Fiona, but she helped work on the presentation."_

_ "Fine." Soleh responded, defeated._

_ "Be there at the bell."_

Kane, on the other hand, was taking out all of his nervous energy in odd ways. One moment, bouncing his knees, then tapping his fingers along the wall, clicking his heels, humming… Anything to get his mind off of _her _and those times. Soleh wasn't helping much, either. She didn't even attempt to continue her act that nothing good nor bad had happened between them—she just sat there and wouldn't speak to Kane, and it drove him _crazy_

"_That sounds fine to me." Kane responded. He never really liked class assemblies, especially after the creepy violence one in the eighth grade. Plus, spending the day with Sav would be pretty cool. "So, what're we gonna do all day, Mr. President?"_

"_Well, _I'm _going to be working on Valentine's Dance stuff with HJ. You and Soleh are going really be 'chaperoning' us."_

"_S-Soh?' He stuttered._

"_Yeah, you two don't have to be with us, you can probably just hang in the hallway outside or whatever."_

_He couldn't take it back now, and suddenly decide to start being all selfish, so he nodded. But, at the least, maybe he could vent to Sav. He'd understand. Kane looked up from the base of his locker to realize that the older student was already gone in the mass of students down the hall._

"_Shit."_

After about fifteen or so minutes, Kane got up and began to pace. He did not notice the strange looks he was getting from the pair of upperclassmen in the nearby room, but even if he did, he would not have cared. He couldn't deal with this for much longer.

"Soh?" He spoke up, getting his energy out by talking now, leaning up against the opposite wall. She didn't answer, just continued to write in her notebook. "Soleh." His voice tensed a little more. Nothing. "Soleh, acknowledge me." The girl merely nodded her head. How stupid. "Soleh, answer me, please!"

The girl's head snapped up, a pained look in her eyes. "What the hell do you want, Kane?"

"I can't take this anymore!" Kane cried. "You're being completely idiotic, putting on this charade that nothing ever happened!"

"Oh, so I'm an idiot now, am I?" She retorted.

"No, but you're sure acting like one! I loved you, Soleh! I use those words because _I mean it. _And I made a mistake! A huge mistake!" His voice cracked from his yelling. "But I'm done waiting around for you to accept the hundreds, maybe thousands of times I've tried to apologize! I've even taken money out of my pockets to go to classes to make sure what I did never happens again!

"I love you, Soh. I still love you." He grew quiet, face red from yelling. "And putting my hands on you like that is the worst thing I've ever done. But you can't pretend anymore. I can't take it."

Soleh sat there quietly for a moment, oblivious to the tears that had been rolling down her face. "You hurt me." She whispered. "Emotionally and physically. Not _once _in that apology did you ever address the fact that you didn't care about me _enough _to take a chance on some _stupid _spot on student council for me. Did you ever think of the repercussions it would have on me? I didn't care."

"Soh, I—"

"—Let me talk, Kane. I didn't care because I loved you." She stood up. "And I can't deal with being someone's dirty little secret." She pulled her side bang from the front of her face, taking Kane's hand by the wrist and placing it on her cheekbone. "Do you see that bruise? That was one of two scars you gave me that day." She could feel Kane's hand shaking on her face. She then took it, pulling it right onto her heart. "This was the other."

She looked him directly in the eyes, seeing that the boy was crying—something he rarely did—but trying to hide it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He pushed his scratchy voice out. "I'm sorry… How many times will it take?"

Soleh didn't break eye contact, taking a deep breath. Maybe she'd regret this later. Maybe not. "Try… One more time." She answered.

"I'm—"She cut him off, pulling herself up and pressing her lips into his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her own body closer to him and, for the first time in years, feeling safe in his embrace. Kane, though shocked at first, returned the kiss, feeling her warmth against him and connecting his arms on her lower back, just not wanting to let her go.

As their faces parted, Soleh letting her heels go back to the floor (for she could not reach Kane unless she was on the tips of her toes) and Kane's eyes never leaving hers, spoke up. "You're forgiven."

Kane couldn't help but to smile amazingly wide, something he rarely did. "I never meant to hurt you. Classes and counseling… It really helps." He said, leading her back over to the beach they'd previously been sitting at.

"I'm proud of you, for that…"

"You better be! I did it for you!" They both laughed slightly. He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close to him. "So, do you think a public relationship would be 'memorably romantic'?" He mused, giving her a sly smile.

"I think it would."

**A/N: Did anyone get the 'memorably romantic' quote thing from way back in like, chapter 5 or something like that? Yes? No? Maybe? Lying? Ah well! I'll have 13 up and done soon enough. I wrote a lot of it in the car ride home, so it's partially done. Pretty dramatic, akshully. Review. If you do, I'll give you a little sneak peak into my thoughts for the rest of the story! ;D You know you wanna. xx**


	13. 13: Room 313

**A/N: Chapter Thirteen! It's here! Now people don't have to hate me. And now, I can take a rest from writing for a bit. Cause now, I'm starting to look way too much into this. And it'll start getting bad. This is the last chapter for a bit, cause I have to get ready for school. So enjoy!  
**

Clare Edwards personally wanted to excuse herself from the violence assembly. Not because she didn't believe in the cause, no. She had always been the peace advocate in their group. It was just that it was such a contradiction. Eli got hurt because he was trying to keep the peace with a bully. He'd gotten out of his normal cycle of violence… And look what that had gotten him.

She partially blamed it on herself, for almost 'manning down' her boyfriend. She thought that, if she hadn't told him how wrong violence was, or if she hadn't gotten upset with him about firing back, he would have defended himself, and this whole thing could have been avoided. Adam had been trying to tell her otherwise, but she couldn't help but to keep the thought at the back of her head.

Adam was the one who convinced her to stay—for Eli's sake—and that's what kept her there. It was a full day session, that started with a few speakers that Fiona Coyne, Simpson and Callie Moore brought in. Each droned on endlessly about their experiences with trying to keep peace, one of whom stuck out to Clare specifically.

He was a man who worked for a nearby Catholic school. He was the parochial advisor or something like that. Now, usually, Clare would have paid special attention to what this man had to say. After all, he was supposed to be the epitome of what Catholicism was. But in her negative mood, things that the man said started to dig into her mind.

"If someone hits you, you turn the other cheek."

_Why would you do that? So they can hit you harder? You're just acting like a naïve fool, then!_

"Love your neighbour as yourself."

_Even if they treat you like dirt? Are you supposed to give them respect, then?_

"God loves you, and everything will work out as it should, in the end."

_Eli said that… He made peace, and what did God do for him? Nothing! He's letting him die!_

With every word he said, words she'd heard every Sunday over and over again and hadn't given a second thought about it, she grew angrier and angrier. So many lies she'd been fed her entire life… Following like an innocent puppet. St. Clare, the innocent, _naïve, _Catholic puppet.

"Do they really expect us to believe this crap?" Clare whispered over to Adam, who appeared surprised at his friend's words.

"What happened with the change of heart, St. Clare?"

"Don't call me that! I'm done living by the rules someone else sets for me, following things that have _obvious _flaws. God says he loves everyone, right?" Adam nodded. "Are you allowed in a church as yourself, Adam?"

He shook his head, thinking to himself as well. "You're right." He responded after taking thoughts into consideration. Looking back over to his friend, he saw how uncomfortable she was. "Listen, let's get out of here. If I listen to anymore of these old geezers speak, I'm gonna break a hip."

"We can come back later, maybe… I just need a break." She agreed.

Luckily for them, they were on the aisle near the middle, closer to the back of the room, so their quick exit didn't disturb anyone.

"Excuse me!" They heard a call from behind them as they rushed down the hall. "Students need to be at the assem—"

"Principal Simpson, Clare was feeling sick. I'm just taking her out for some fresh air." Adam turned to the man in the suit behind them.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Torres, Miss Edwards. Just please, stay on the grounds?" They nodded as he took a deep breath. "I'm trusting you."

"Thank you, sir." Clare spoke quietly.

"We'll be right at that first table, if you need us." Adam called to him as they walked toward the front doors, motioning to the table closest to them. As the pair walked out of the building, the cool, brisk air gushed into them in greeting. Adam, holding Clare up, sat her down on a bench at the table. "I have my backpack… Here." He said, going through the big bag. "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

"Do you… Just water or something?" She asked. "I feel like my throat's closing up."

"Yeah." He said, pulling a big, reusable water bottle out. "It's clean. I swear I don't have like, rabies or anything." Clare cracked a smile; just what Adam was trying to make her do. She popped open the top of the bottle before taking a long sip and letting out a deep breath. "Feeling a bit better?" She nodded. "The reason I didn't want to get you out earlier was because then we'd be expected back from the PowerPoint and crap later… Tony was telling me that when they did something like this for him, they made it seem like a death sentence. Pretty graphic, too. I didn't want you to have to go through that."

"Thanks, Adam." She smiled, hugging her knees into herself.

"So…What triggered your episode back in there? I mean, of all people, I'd expect you to listen to Mr. Holy Man most intently." Adam inquired.

"So many things have happened in my life, and all I've done was follow someone I can't see or hear." She began. "I'd much rather follow my heart. I mean, following God didn't stop my sister from getting raped, it didn't stop Fitz from pulling a knife, and it didn't stop Eli from going into the hospital." She concluded, with a sure look on her face. "So… Do you want to go see him, later?"

"That sounds good. Sure you're up for it?"

"I'm dating a kid who drives a hearse. I'm up for anything."

The two sat the rest of the day, Adam trying to come up with stupid ideas to keep Clare's mind occupied. He started showing her comic books that he and Eli enjoyed ("So you lovebirds will have something you can talk _with me_ about when he wakes up."), and playing her Dead Hand music. The time flew, which relieved Adam, who'd been nervous he'd have to deal with the whole 'comfort a crying girl' thing. He wasn't ready for that, quite yet.

When the bell rang, people began flooding out of the school, a few with weird expressions on their faces, all talking in loud or hushed tones about the assembly. As groups passed, Clare could overhear certain parts of their conversations.

"That sucks about his back…"

"I couldn't imagine having to go through that."

"I woulda kicked the kid's ass if he tried to jump me!"

"Clare… Clare!" Adam was trying to snap her out of her little trance. "Are we going to the hospital or what?"

"Y…Yeah." She stuttered. "Did you hear what someone said about his back?" Adam grew nervous. They hadn't told Clare about that for a reason. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I-I don't know. Let's just go, alright?" Damn, he was a bad liar.

"Adam, is there something you're not telling me?" Clare got nervous.

He took a deep breath. "No, Clare. Can't we just go on to the hospital already?" He hated being the one who had to break bad news. This would definitely rank up there with telling his parents and brother about Adam. The look on Clare's face _screamed _suspicion. And the things the doctors had been saying hadn't helped very much, either. "Fine, I give!" He yelled quietly as compared to the crowd around them, taking Clare towards the car Drew had been lending him (Since Eli was in the hospital and Drew had football, Adam had no way to get home from school).

"Give what?" Clare questioned, worry lines appearing on her face. Adam didn't speak as he opened the passenger seat door for her, clipping the short haired girl into the seat belt. He closed the door and walked around to the other side of the car and got in. "Adam…"

He turned on the ignition and began backing the car out of the spot and driving smoothly out of the lot. "There… There may be some breaking in his spine." She spoke, trying to keep calm while he was in control of a vehicle. "They took some x-rays the first day and should be getting in results by this week. That's why we couldn't visit the first day."

Clare let out what seemed to be a sigh of relief. "You could have told me that… The way you and Tony have been acting, it was making me nervous."

Adam kept his eyes straight on the road. "We didn't tell you because… Well, i-if there is breakage where they think there is…" Adam swallowed, taking in the moment of complete silence. "Then… Then he won't make it."

It took Clare a moment or two to register what her friend had just said. _They think there's breakage… He won't… Won't make it? _She ran the thought through her mind once, twice, three times. "You're lying." She managed to get out.

"No Clare." Adam squeaked, now crying. "I'm not lying."

That was the moment that Clare Edwards decided that God had officially given up on her. She for the rest of the ride, she sobbed. Sobbed because she was trying to imagine the rest of her life without the junior in it. That empty seat in English. An abandoned hearse in his brick driveway. No gleaming emerald eyes. No crooked grin. No soft kisses. No safe hugs. Ever again.

Adam kept his crying as low and quiet as he could, trying to stay strong for Clare. If he broke down, she'd lose hope; and hope was really all they had left. He pulled into the hospital parking garage, throwing a few coins in and getting a ticket, a ritual he'd gotten all too familiar with over the past couple of days.

"Clare… You have to get out of the car." Clare looked up, realizing that Adam was standing with his hand held out for her. She undid her belt and took his hand, slamming the door behind her. The two stayed silent as they took the trek through the stone maze and into the large, white building. Adam approached the front desk, getting the attention of the young woman at the front desk.

"How may I help you?" She asked in that automated cheery voice that both teens hated.

"We're here to visit Eli Goldsworthy." Adam stated, holding his arm around Clare.

"Goldsworthy, Goldsworthy…" The nurse stated to herself as she flipped through the registry. "Elijah?"

"Eli." Adam's face was stern. He knew Eli _hated _being called Elijah.

"Right… He's in the critical trauma ward, you do understand that?" She continued cautiously.

"Last time I was here, he was in grave condition." Adam muttered. "It's an improvement."

"Room 313." She said, closing the book and motioning Adam and Clare in the direction of the elevator. They took it up to the third floor, taking a right toward trauma. Clare ran her hand along the series of doors and room labels as they passed, her fingers tingling as they ran over the Braille letters.

"Three oh-nine… Three eleven…" Adam came to a stop outside the room. The doors were a dismal shade of grey, and only had a small window in them; one Adam was afraid to look through. "Three thirteen." He looked to Clare, both contemplating who would open the door. _Come on Adam. You're the man. _That's what Clare's face said. He sighed, and as he placed his hand on the handle, an alarm went off.

"Holy shit!" He raised his hands in the air, stepping back as a series of nurses ran into Eli's room, Adam taking Clare's hand and squeezing it tightly. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" The voice came from behind him.

Adam broke into slight hysteria. "No! My friend's probably in there dying, and I—"

"Relax, relax…" The man stepped in front of them. "You're Elijah's friends?"

"Eli." Adam muttered.

"Eli, excuse me." The blonde man smiled slightly. "I'll be sure to fix that mistake." _Okay, maybe this doctor wasn't so bad. _Adam thought.

"The alarm merely signaled that your friend's heart rate went up. In most cases, that would be very bad." He began. "But in _Eli_'s case, it's very good. His heart rate was very low for a while."

Clare let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness…" She sighed. The girl couldn't help but to let a few tears escape her eyes.

"Then what was up with the piles of nurses?" Adam asked.

The doctor, who's name was 'Dr. Steven', as said his name plate, laughed. "They were just going in to check his blood pressure, what we've been putting into his body—to try and figure out what helped him."

"So… Can we go see him, Dr. Steve?" Clare whispered, wiping the tears off of her face.

"Of course…" He smiled. "You must care a lot about your friend. What are your names?"

"Well, I'm Clare. I'm Eli's girlfriend."

"And I'm Adam, his best friend." Upon seeing Adam give his name, the doctor gave a slight smile.

"That's very nice." He said, shaking Clare's hand, followed by Adam's. "Keep an eye on him, alright?" The pair nodded, watching as the group of nurses exited Room 313 before entering themselves.

It was a one bed room, with a pair of chairs sitting next to the bed. The roses Clare had left there sat still in a vase; she'd brought one every day since he was admitted. "Someone must've brought it in when he switched rooms." Clare smiled, trying not to focus her eyes on the boy lying in the bed.

Eli Goldsworthy's usually tanned skin was very pale and covered in black-and-blues and cuts, his green eyes shut. His brown hair was neatly combed; Clare took it upon herself to slightly dishevel the boy's bangs, just as he normally wore them, before she sat in the chair closest to his face. Adam pulled his chair next to her, taking off his beanie and resting in on his lap and hanging his head, looking up only when Clare spoke.

"So, Eli, they had this assembly today on violence… I won't drab on about it, because I know you don't care; you probably would have skipped it, anyway." Adam laughed a little. "Adam and I miss you a lot. You don't deserve this at all."

"We do, man… That ass shouldn't be walking around the streets when you're stuck in this place. If you were up, you'd agree. It reeks of bathroom cleaner in here."

"If anything were to happen to you… I don't know what I'd do." Clare's tiny voice cracked, her voice speeding up a little, almost as if she felt as if she was getting less and less time to say what she needed to. "Adam was trying to explain to me how you guys read your comics and listen to your music… But neither of us could imagine our lives without you. On the way here, I was running through the rest of my year at Degrassi, but without you there.

"It was then I realized how much I cared for you." Clare whispered, becoming silent for a moment, listening to the steady and slow beeps that represented his heart. She knew she was imagining it, but listening to them go on monotonously for the time she did, she could almost hear them speeding up, as a response to her words. "I love you, Eli." Her voice cracked, tears falling down her face not for the first time that day as she leaned in, giving him a small kiss, wet drops falling onto a scarred face.

Adam patted her back softly as Clare placed her hands on Eli's hand that laid still beside him, both pairs of eye watching his chest slowly fall up and down. For a moment, the room and, to its three inhabitants, the world was still.

That was, until a soft stirring occurred underneath Clare's palms.

In her deep thought, she didn't even notice the small movement as she was leaning her head into Adam, the latter wiping her face with his sleeve. Both caught up in the moment; so sure at that point that everything that could go wrong would. Adam was trying to think of something to say, something to comfort Clare, when there was a soft cough.

"Clare, are you alright?" Adam looked into her eyes. "Do you need another drink—"

The cough came again, more violently.

It wasn't Clare.

Both of their heads snapped to the once still body in the bed, now a half sitting up boy. He coughed once or twice more, before lying back into the pillow, revealing a small bit of blood that had trickled out of his mouth, now bearing his signature grin.

"Eli!" The pair exclaimed in unison, tears trickling out of their eyes for what they hoped would be the last time that day. Clare grabbed the brunette's hand, her eyes meeting emerald for the first time in far too long.

"So, you love me, Blue Eyes?" He forced out his voice as Clare traced her thumb along his chin, wiping the blood. Adam took this as a cue to run out and get Dr. Steve, looking back once at his friend and giving him a mock salute, causing the other to smile.

All Clare could do was blush a beat tomato red. "You heard that?" Eli nodded weakly, grin still plastered on his face. "If you don't—"

"I love you, too."

**A/N: Yay! Lucky chapter 13. I bet you all thought something terrible was gonna happen. Psh, naw. BUT WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET, OH-HO-HO! So, you can review here if you haven't yet. Maybe if you review, I'll update faster. xx**


	14. 14: Sympathize

**A/N: I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO ALL OF MY LOVELY REVIEWERS, ESPECIALLY POTTER8 WHO HAS BEEN READING FROM THE BEGINNING. Don't think I don't appreciate everyone else. I just remember when I posted my first chapter or so and potter8 added me to their alerts. It made me feel very loved. :D Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this failure of a chapter. I'm not trying to make you _like _Aiden, but you have to understand where he's coming from.**

Aiden Fox didn't sleep in his uncle and aunt's house the night he nearly killed Eli Goldsworthy. Nor the night after that, nor the night after that, nor many more after.

He knew that it didn't very much matter where he was. They didn't care. If he returned home safely, they'd thank God. If he died outside because of chill or hunger, they'd believe they didn't pray enough. It wasn't that he thought he would be scolded for beating up that goth kid, no, not at all.

It probably wouldn't even be mentioned in the household. In fact, he'd be lucky if either of his guardians mentioned the incident at all. Lucky would be an understatement. He detested that fact. He detested that, no matter what he did, good or bad, no one would ever ask _him _about it. When he was younger, sometime he hoped he'd get grounded for a month or two. Of course, Aiden was never that lucky.

When he finally returned home that Wednesday morning (a time where it would be even more quiet than usual in the house, for everyone was at services—because, of course, Sunday service alone wasn't good enough for the Foxes), he relished slightly in the silence. Was it so horrible that he hoped that Goldsworthy would die? You'd think it sadistic, in a sense. However, to Aiden, it was completely normal.

Maybe the judge would realize how 'sick' he was. He'd see the look in Aiden's eyes, as Aiden spoke of how he had absolutely no remorse. He'd describe in vivid detail how he first knocked out the junior, and proceeded to kick him, slam his head into the brick wall a few times, step on his stomach, among various other unspeakable acts. He hoped the judge would be horrified with him.

He'd be sent to jail, of course… The press would eat it up. 'High School Student Kills Peer in Rage; "I Have No Regrets", He Says'. Yes, that would be the perfect headline. It'd be a fiasco, he thought. Maybe his parents would see the articles. Or watch it on the news. Maybe they'd finally come out of that stupid trance. Maybe they'd realize that God had given up on Aiden. That their prayers would never be answered. Either way, it'd be something he'd be remembered by.

The boy climbed up the large, spiraling staircase that led up to the second and third floors of the huge home. The fact that it was so empty didn't phase the blonde a bit; even with people in it, it still felt empty… Lonely, you could say. He pulled open a door with a black knob, entering his bedroom before slamming the door behind him and locking the door with a small key that he proceeded to throw onto the floor. He'd pick it up later.

Throwing himself onto the bed, he clicked the small flashing light on his answering machine. His aunt and uncle could afford to have phone lines for everyone. Personal phone lines. That was another thing he detested. How filthily rich they were. He laid back onto the red sheets, pulling the ponytail out of his hair and tossing it onto a nearby desk as he listened to the single message that played, dated from that previous week.

_"Aiden, this is Principal Simpson. I'd just like to inform you that the school is suspending you until Mr. Goldsworthy is out of the hospital. When the time comes for you to return, if it does, I will be sure to get in touch with you. Your school work will be sent home to you via mail, as requested by your guardians. Goodbye."_

"'If it does,' heh…" Aiden snorted to himself. "That must mean they don't expect the kid to recover." He knew he'd be suspended, at the least. He'd completely forgotten about the deal between Degrassi and Como Park, though. He'd have to graduate from this stupid school. Why, he didn't know. But for whatever reason, the transfer policy signed said that they couldn't be expelled. He didn't know whether to think it a good or bad thing, really. If he got expelled, maybe he could have a little more freedom. But if he couldn't continue going to Degrassi, what else would he do with himself besides being hated by the scores of people he'd hurt—directly and indirectly, of course.

He'd use the small bouts of people he'd met and gained contact with over the first month and a half of school to keep updated on what was going on; the status on the emo, and how his good old friend Tony was doing. He still had a score to settle there, he thought. The score would most definitely be settled before the girl has a chance to put on a cap and gown. Most definitely. For now, though, Aiden Fox would just pull on a pair of headphones, and drown the world out in a chorus of Dead Hand.

Later that day, Marilyn Lowe was walking down the streets of Toronto hastily, pulling her hair into a quick bun before dashing into her destination; The Dot. She'd been working there after school for the past two weeks or so, now. Her mother wanted her to get out and get a job. She knew her mom always just wanted the best for her, but sometimes, Marilyn couldn't help but to plea otherwise.

"I mean, I can't get why she wants me busy all of the time. I just want to be able to hang out with friends, you know?" The blue eyed girl complained to Anya, who was sitting along the bar stools after school that day. Marilyn turned back to her friend, sliding her over a warm looking coffee drink that had the slight smell of pumpkin wafting from it. She'd had barely any time to change out of her school uniform, so her work shirt was messily pulled over, clashing with the khaki skirt she had on all day.

"Is that why you were so nervous about CheerBurst and the SATII's?" Marilyn nodded. "I totally get what you mean. My dad's like, totally pressuring on me with college stuff and all, but I just really don't want to think about all that right now. I just wanna chill and enjoy my senior year." Anya streamed, sipping a little bit of the foam off of the top of her drink.

"Plus, my mom doesn't even want me to cheer. She's totally obsessed with me just being some bio-engineer or something." Marilyn sighed, filling up a pair of cups with hot chocolate with red sprinkles for the upcoming Valentines Day. "I don't want to spend the rest of my left cheering or anything, but I _definitely _don't want to spend my life making fake arms." She mused, bringing the cups over to a couple sitting in the far corner of the room and scurrying back, taking a breath as she sat next to Anya.

"Well, if you want, I'll help you out with anything you want. I was distracted by so many things my junior year, and I never really got to enjoy it. What with a crazy boyfriend with an even crazier family…" She laughed a little. "I wouldn't want you to miss out on any of that sort of fun."

Marilyn smiled. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, of course!" Anya smiled back. "I just have a question… Why do you try to dumb yourself down for the team?" She asked with a confused look on hr face. "I mean, you're so smart and interesting… You have so much you could contribute."

"Anya, we're cheerleaders for god's sakes." She muttered. "No one's interested in what we have to say unless it's in a peppy voice, rhymes, and is accompanied by a mini-skirt."

**A/N: Yay, horribly short chapter! It'll be longer next time. I swear. I just wanted to get something out for you guys... It felt like too long. Also, tell me who/what you want to hear more about in your reviews. I LIVE TO PLEASE. Review! xx**


	15. 15: Opinions on Love

**A/N: Yay, chapter 15! This chapter's dedicated to doxthextimexwarp, who has the greatest story that I love reviewing. =W= So, finally, here's a little more on Tao. I really don't know what to do with him. Silly Tao. And to whomever asked, Tao is Filipino/Chinese mixed, but he looks mostly, if not fully Filipino. This also reveals a bit more on Callie's home life and her relationship with Tony. Starting in a few chapters, I'm going to release a few pictures of what the exchange students are meant to look like. I'll put links on my profile, and let you all know when I do. I hope you like this!**

Most people, when waiting for friends to arrive at a given place, would wait inside. Maybe, sit down somewhere, get something to drink, order for the table, and wait casually for the other guests to arrive.

Tao Riggs was not capable of that.

Outside the Dot in the chilly February air did Tao stand, pacing slightly, but keeping his slightly numb, pink fingers on the buttons of his classic Game Boy Color at all time, his glued eyes only glancing up every few minutes or so to see when Wesley, Dave and Connor would arrive. It's not like the brunette at the counter had offered for him to come inside a few times—now, she probably thought he was crazy for just standing out there in the cold. But he understood why he had to do it.

He sat on the small ledge that lined the wall of window, tapping his feet along to the soft electronic music that was being released for the tiny machine. He saved the game, knowing it would be rude to be playing when other people arrived (because knowing him, he wouldn't acknowledge anyone because he his far too distracted by the tiny screen), and tucked the device into his bag. Her ruffled his hands through a few of the other seemingly random items in there, including (but not limited to) Ms. Oh's pen and a sticky note pad, a Toronto Bluejays baseball cap, a few random pencils that came in different shapes and sizes, a pair of gloves or two, an iPod and numerous other objects.

He wouldn't go into the Dot alone. No, he couldn't put himself in that sort of a situation. He was setting himself up for failure, he thought. And that was just foolish. Tao's brown eyes averted up upon hearing a group of footsteps approaching. "Hey Tao! Sorry we're late, Simpson totally lectured us about being safe when we went to go pick up Connor."

Connor lives with Simpson? Tao made a point to mentally note that to himself. "It's fine." He began, standing up and respectively high fiving each of the boys (except Wesley, who tried to break the cycle by doing a fist bump that just ended up like some awkward turkey-looking thing).

"Been waiting out here long?" Connor inquired.

"Eh, not really." Tao said, fidgeting slightly with his bangs. "The girl at the counter goes to our school and probably thinks I'm insane because I wouldn't go inside." He laughed.

"Let's get on in, then." Dave suggested, walking over to the door and pulling it open, heading in followed by the other three boys. A table near the barstools was open, so Dave and Connor immediately headed towards it. Tao, however, was busy in a conversation with the brunette from earlier, Wesley standing to his side, attempting to make conversation with Anya MacPherson.

"Sue me if I don't want you out there freezing to death _on my shift._" The girl complained.

"Well, I'm sorry that I can handle a little cold—you should have a little more faith in some people." Tao retorted.

"Listen Sophomore, I know you think you're hot crap, but next time, try not to mess with me on a bad day, because that's exactly what you're making today." Marilyn hissed.

"Whatever." Tao muttered, walking over and taking his seat with Connor and Dave, both of whom were trying to listen in on Wesley's conversation with Anya, but to no avail. When the former finally came over with a smile on his face, Dave was the first to speak.

"So? What happened?" By the sound in his voice and the look on Connor's face, you could tell that even the prospect of any of the three getting a date was an amazing thing to them.

"She remembered my name…" Wesley whispered, making sure that neither girl at the counter could hear him. "And asked how I was doing with my arms and all!" He flashed a big smile.

Tao sighed. "You're kidding me, right? If you ever want to get a girl, you've gotta make an impression."

"I don't see you with a girl around anywhere." Connor commented.

Tao didn't even have to think about it for a second. "I'm not one for relationships. Seriously, having to devote your time to some chick who just whines and complains and wastes all of your money on petty gifts that she'll throw away one day when the relationship is over? Sounds stupid to me." The other three looked slightly awestruck at the boy's words.

"But what about the love and affection you receive in return?" Wesley managed to get out.

"If you need someone else's supposed love to make you feel good about yourself," Tao began. "Then you need a bit more self confidence."

On the far side of the room, two older teens who believed in the exact opposite sat. In the corner, Tony and Callie sat, green and chai tea respectively, talking. Callie had yet to touch her drink, marveling at the small red heart that was embedded on top. That was one of the other things he loved about her, Tony noted; that she appreciated the little things.

"So, you're adopted?" Tony asked calmly, not knowing if it was a touchy subject for the other.

"Yup." Callie responded nonchalantly. "I never met my birth mother or father, but my dads say that if I ever want to find her, they'd help me."

Callie Moore was adopted when she was a young baby by Christopher and Patrick Moore, a gay couple who had always wanted nothing more than to have a little girl. Being raised in such an open environment, Callie never hesitated to meet new people. Her fathers' practice of the Jain religion also helped her to learn to respect other people, although she sometimes was mocked for the lack of a maternal figure in her family.

"That's sweet, though…" Tony smiled. "You said they moved up here with you?"

"Yeah, they're kinda like helicopter dads." She laughed, finally stirring the tea that sat in front of her, making it a light burgundy color. "But really, what could I do wrong? The only thing people say negatively about me is that I'm _too _nice!"

"I think that's perfectly fine." Tony said, taking a sip and pulling back quickly, Callie continuing to laugh at his response. "Shit, that's hot. –Hey! That's not funny!"

"I think I'm hilarious."

"Well there you go!" He joked. "Pride!"

Callie rolled her eyes playfully. "So," she began, blowing the steam off of her mug before placing it to her mouth and taking a sip. "What's new and exciting in the ever-active life of Tony Roth?"

How he hated talking about himself. When Tony spoke about himself, he would always think that he was saying too much and boring people. "Well," he started timidly. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow after school."

Callie's face became slightly confused. "Are you… Alright?"

"Oh, yeah! No, no, nothing's wrong, persay." Tony quickly added. "It's just, I was telling you about how my therapy is going really well, right?" The girl nodded. "Well, my doctor says that based on my doses and how my body responds to the home treatment… I may be a candidate for surgery—before the end of the year." He said with a small grin on his face.

"Ah!" Callie squealed slightly, gaining the attention of all the other people in the café before leaning over the table to hug Tony. "That's absolutely amazing!" She exclaimed.

"It is."

"Well…" She examined his face slightly. "Why don't you seem excited?"

"Because," Tony sighed. "There are three things that it requires."

"If money is an issue—"

"No, no. I told you, I've been saving since I was young, and I had money my grandma back home gave me—when I was Amanda, of course—but it's still my money." He reassured.

"What's the problem, then?"

"First, 'the candidate has to have been living as the appropriate gender for at least a year and gone through specific amounts of hormone treatment.'" Tony said, speaking it word for word—he'd read the packet over many times, and the words were embedded in his mind. "Second, 'the candidate has to have reached the legal age of eighteen years old'" The look on Callie's face still expressed confusion. "Finally, 'if the candidate is under the age of twenty, parental permission must be granted for gender reassignment surgery to take place."

"Oh…" Callie said quietly. "You need to talk to your mom."

"I know it's what has to happen… I just was trying, hoping to find some way around it."

"If you want, I'll go with you tomorrow… And to see her." Callie offered.

"You'd do that?"

"Of course." She smiled. With that, Tony leaned over the table and kissed her. It was quick. It was gentle. It was both their first kisses. And it was… Perfect.

"Let's go." Callie said, her eyes veering to the window behind Tony, who turned to see what she was looking at. All the other eyes had also looked to the window, and some calls of joy were heard. It was beginning to snow.

"Perfect."

**A/N: I like this chapter a lot more than I do the last one. o_e For some reason, it's very easy for me to write about certain people. Now, you have to tell me who you want to hear more about, because I don't want to bore anyone. Although I won't be changing anything for anyone, I can try and help. :3 Also, if you have ANY QUESTIONS, no matter how STUPID, PLEASE ASK! Apparently, I write good reviews. So you all should, too! **


	16. 16: Brother, My Brother

**A/N: FFFF I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I HAVE CLASS NOW SO I HAVE NOTHING THOUGHTFUL TO SAY I LOVE YOU ALL 3**

Shaye Hayes was a simple man, he thought. He never had very many demands. He wasn't specific about much. He liked most everyone, and wasn't agitated easily. He even vowed to begin each day smiling. He liked being happy. He was easy on the eyes, not too tall, and just generally pleasing. He, therefore, didn't have very many enemies.

Most of this was probably due to his childhood and adolescent life. When his parents died, Shaye immediately had to take on an adult position in his world; among home, friends, and the little far off family that he had. Even before that, his parents would always be out all hours of the night. Shaye cooked himself dinner, read himself his story, and tucked himself into bed for the night.

On the outside, Shaye seemed to handle everything with a cool, laid-back demeanor. The only people who'd ever see him cry were Tony and Liona (though Liona only saw him once, when Tony and he begin living in the same space, they leaned on each other for many things; tears were common). However, in private life, Shaye had an issue that not many people knew about-of course, there would always be rumors when one comes into school with a face like his, but nothing was confirmed-and he'd liked to keep it that way.

It all began one day in their sophomore year, when Tony had an LGBT meeting in a neighboring town. He'd texted Shaye, letting him know he'd be home late; he was going out to dinner with a few others at one of those chain restaurants. He'd be expected home late. However, when Shaye didn't text him back, Tony couldn't help but to be worried. He'd suspected something was wrong-deeper than the tears-with his friend for a while now. That was what led him to return home early without warning; however, what he came back to shocked him.

The door was locked-which was odd for someone like Shaye, who would always forget to lock up, no matter how many times the shorter asked and reminded. Tony pulled the key he kept at the bottom out of his large messenger bag, rifling through books, old photos and papers to grab the small piece of metal before sticking it into the keyhole, pulling the door open and completely freezing in place.

The boy before him laid on the ground, the top half of his body slouched over the couch. Now, normally, Tony wouldn't be shocked. It was often that he'd come home to Shaye asleep. However, upon looking at the low table that sat beside his limp friend's body, he spotted a small black box; in it, a pair of needles and a rubber band, its twin tied around Shaye's arm. At that moment, many thoughts ran through Tony's mind- 'Do I call 911, or try and wake him up? Call someone?' He rushed over to the taller of the two, pulling him up into a sitting position on the couch and immediately removing the rubber strap from his arm.

"C'mon, you idiot, wake up...!" He muttered, going over to the nearby sink and grabbing a glass of water, bringing back over to the somewhat stirring male, pouring it down his throat slowly.

"Nngh..." Shaye raised a shaky hand to take the glass, leaning slightly on Tony.

"...What the fuck were you doing?" Tony whisper-yelled, voice a mix of strain, anger and concern. "You know what this shit is, and you know what it does to people!"

"I can't help it, Tony..." Shaye began, voice soft. His eyes were slightly glazed over. "I promised I'd never be like him, but... I can't stop. It feels too good..."

"Bullshit!" Tony exclaimed, picking the band up from the ground, throwing it into the small box that his blonde friend had begun to reach for, smacking his hand away. "You can't do this to yourself... I won't let you, Shaye. I swear to god, I won't." Shaye groaned slightly. "Oh, shut up! Do you understand what this stuff does-well, of course you do! But you're acting like a fool, thinking it'll help..."

"I know..."

"You know, you know!" Tony sighed. "Since my mom kicked me out, Shaye, you're all I've got. You're my best friend. I'm not going to let you throw your life out the window." He sat next to the blue-eyed boy, patting his shoulder.

Shaye didn't reply at first; his hands slightly shaking, eyes darting around, constantly on the little black box that Tony had placed on the kitchen counter. "I'm sorry, Tony... I'm sorry."  
"How... How long have you been doing this?"

"A while, Tony... A while."

That night had always stayed on both of their minds, even to the present day. Trust was always an issue. Tony forced Shaye to go to meetings, and kept a close eye on him whenever he could. Shaye was very proud of himself; for he had been clean since then, with very few relapses, though none very recent. It was in a pattern, both he and Tony had noticed; and realizing that it was almost time for another one of his urges, Shaye noticed Tony's particular eye on him.

But, he wouldn't fall through this time. He wouldn't let his friends now. He wouldn't let Tony down. He wouldn't let himself down.

Come back to the present.

"...So, they don't know when they're gonna release the kid outta the hospital, but looks like he should okay. Seems like he's forgetting a lot of stuff, so they're keeping an eye on that." Tony continued. "Shaye?"

"What?" He snapped back to reality. "Sorry." He chuckled. "Just in a daze. But that is great about Eli." He spoke, forking another bit of salad into his mouth. It was brisk outside in Toronto. He had been sitting outside on the steps with Tony for a while after school. Liona was out with a cold (meaning she was sitting at home all day, Skyping), and Adam and Clare had already left to visit Eli at the hospital.

"Yeah..." Tony said, adjusting the scarf around his neck just slightly. "So, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, really." Shaye said, immediately amused. "I told you, everything's going to be fine. You don't need to hold my hand." He sighed. "I've got it, this time."

"Oh, do you?"

"Yes, I do. So, what's been up with you and your girlfriend?" He laughed as Tony blushed a deep shade of maroon.

"Actually... Later today, I'm... I'm going to see my mom." Shaye's mouth gaped in shock. "She thinks she's going to see Amanda... That's the only reason she's showing up. But I need her permission to get the surgery done. I want to get this done as quick as I possibly can."

"But, man... What if she says no?"

"I guess that'll come when it does, yeah?" Tony smiled weakly. He knew that was what was going to happen, and had been contemplating how to deal with it for the past day, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

"Well... I'll come with you, if you want." Shaye punched Tony in the arm. "After all, if your mom goes berserk, we know it's not going to be Callie to keep off the dogs." Tony smiled.

"Alright... Besides, I need to keep an eye on you."

"Yeah, thanks dad."

"But of course."


	17. 17: Who Are You?

**A/N: See? I made it up to you all by typing up TWO chapters today! This one's sorta angsty. So... Yeah. D: SORRYY. xx Reviews are what got me off my butt and got me to type chapters. 3**

It was official. Marilyn hated her mother.

Again, the pair were in a fight over some club-biology, chemistry, physics, environmental, ugh, she didn't even care-that she wanted Marilyn to join! It wasn't even that her schedule was empty. She had to get special permission from Chantay to miss Power Squad practices because of Science Fair practice. What does one even do to practice for a science fair? She was a member of it all; Mock U.N., Science Fair, Service Club, Debate Club, Future Scientists, Mathletes, whatever that godforsaken robot thing was... All on top of a job, honors classes, SAT Prep classes, Power Squad, and just life!

"You're not getting into goddamn Harvard without taking the after-school physics class, Marilyn!" Oh, right. That was it. Physics.

"And when am I supposed to take this stupid class, mom?" Marilyn cried. "In my non-existent free time?"

"Oh, I don't know... When you're in that waste of time you call cheerleading!" Her mother shrieked from outside of the room. Marilyn couldn't take her control-freak attitude anymore.

"It's Power Squad mom! And it's the only one of these stupid things that I enjoy!" Her voice slightly wavered, about to break into tears, sliding down the wall next to her door, face lifting slightly as the handle moved and the door opened. Her mother's green eyes looked down on the girl. "I'm just... So stressed, mom. I can't do anything more."

"It's alright, Marilyn..." Her mother reached her hand out, helping the girl up. "I know it's difficult... If you'd like, I'll help you talk to your captain, or whomever, and let them know you'll be dropping out-"

"What?" Marilyn pulled away. "I'm not doing that! You don't get it! I want to be on Power Squad! The only thing I'll be dropping is all of those stupid science classes that are completely pointless! I don't need them! I'm not going to get into a shit college mom! You need to take a chill pill and get less involved in my goddamn life!"

As the other woman was about to say something, Marilyn grabbed her jacket and began pacing down the stairs. "Where do you think you're going?" Her mom called down after her.

"Work!"

Across town at Bridgepoint Health (the local hospital that Eli was staying at), Adam sat in the room next to his friend. The brunette was now able to sit up, but needed a lot of sleep, Doctor Steve had told him, because of the head trauma.

"So, what's been going on without me there?" The boy in the bed asked, giving off his trademark smirk.

"Things have actually been pretty boring, to tell you the truth, fish pits." Adam smiled.

"Huh?"

"Fish pits. You?" Adam repeated.

"Oh, oh, right." Eli laughed, shifting his bed slightly. "Sorry, I had a moment. Dunno what I was thinking."

"I don't know what you're thinking most of the time!" Adam joked. "I mean, in all seriousness... You gotta promise me that when you come back, you're gonna stop causing problems. You're such a troublemaker."

"But what else would you do without me causing a stir?"

"You think it's funny, but really, you shoulda seen Clare! She was a mess, man." Eli's eyes drifted down. "It's true."

"You have to know I didn't start the issue with Aiden. I didn't want to fight him. Some chick talked me out of fighting him a few weeks ago, and I guess he was pissed I didn't show." Eli sighed. "But I think it was worth it."

"Callie, right?"

"I think that's it."

"That's Tony's girlfriend." Adam responded, eating more of his sandwich.

"Tony's got a girlfriend?" Eli exclaimed. "I asked you what happened when I was gone! 'Pretty boring'? Yeah, right! What's been going on in your love life?" Adam blushed slightly. "Oh, come on!"

Adam paused. "Well, I like someone." The brunette gave him a look, almost as if to say 'What else?'. "Fiona." The smaller nearly whispered.

"Fiona Coyne?" The laying boy spurt. "I have taught you well, grasshopper." He yawned.

"Looks like someone needs a nap." Adam mused. "Doctor Steve did say that you needed your sleep."

Eli's face was frustrated. He didn't want to get to sleep till Clare had gotten back, otherwise he knew that somehow he'd be in trouble for it. "Yeah, well, Dr. Doom doesn't sleep. I don't want to waste my time around here sleeping! I just want to go back to school."

"Well, if you want to get back faster, you better sleep and get better. We can't have anything happening to you."

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep with a dude here staring at me..." Eli laughed, resting his head onto the pillow. "My sleeping patterns are gonna be like shit when I'm normal. I'm not going to sleep if you watch me!"

"...We'll see."

And, within moments, the larger boy was sound asleep, snoring just softly.

Eli had convinced him to stay as he slept. Clare was there, too, of course, but she'd gone down to grab some food for Adam and she. As the red-head walked into the room, a pair of cheesesteaks and fries in hand, Adam stood, taking one of each. "Thanks." He said, not pausing to shove some of the fries into his mouth.

"How is he?" Clare inquired.

"Asleep." Adam laughed, getting a stern look from the girl. "Nah, you know I'm kidding with you. Our friend Steve came in before. Said everything's looking fine; though seems a bit too fine for my liking."

"Do you really have to be so pessimistic?" Clare asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"I'm being realistic." Adam said, eyes twitching lightly. "Gah, I have to pee! That's what I was forgetting!" He stood up immediately. "You can stay, right?" Clare nodded, watching her friend as he rushed out of the room. As soon as Adam was out of her line of sight, Clare's eyes drifted immediately back to Eli, placing a small hand on his chest. She loved the feeling of his chest rising up and down; his heartbeat, once again steady; and hearing his breathing, soft. She couldn't help but to giggle at her boyfriend's small, occasional snores.

"Eli..." She said softly, knowing he couldn't hear her, but finding solace in speaking to the boy. "I can't help but to think this has been... Good, for us. Maybe you'll get some sense now." She sighed. "I just can't believe how close I was to losing you." She paused. "I don't know what I'd do without you as a part of my life. I... I do love you, you know." She saw him stir slightly from his sleep. "Without you, Eli, I'm just plain old Clare Edwards."

"Nngh... Clare? Edwards, who?" His voice came out softly.

"Clare Edwards, silly. Your girlfriend... Me?" Clare repeated.

"...Who?"

**A/N: So, what do you think of THAT ending? D: No, really. What do you think happened? I want theories~ In review form, of course. xx 3**


	18. 18: I Am He As You Are He

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter is a continuation from last chapter~ At least, well, the first part is. I didn't want to make ya'll wait too long, da? This is dedicated to Tammy, because she sits next to me in EVERY CLASS we have together, and is like "YOU NEED TO WRITE MORE I LOVE ELI DUN KILL HIM LOLOLOL" But I love her just the same. 3 If it weren't for her, you all wouldn't be reading this~ Heh. REVIEW LOVES.**

Clare stuttered slightly, her voice shaking slightly, pausing and trying to make herself as clear as possible with her words. "Clare. Eli, i-it's me..." No, no... This can't be happening. Doctor Steve said it was only a possibility. "Your girlfriend, Eli."

"Wh...What're you talking about?" The confusion on the boy's face was evident as he sat up. "Why... Why am I in the hospital? ...Who are you?" He paused, his eyes growing in immediate concern. "Is... Is Julia okay?"

No.

No.

No.

Clare couldn't take it. Dashing as fast as she could out of the room in tears, slipping past Adam as he tried to get in, she didn't even listen to Eli's calls coming from the room. "Wait..! Clare, was it?"

Breathing heavily, she ended up in the waiting room on the third floor. Settling in the chair in the corner, she shut her eyes and began to cry. Adam, presently confused as to the cause of his friend's tears, stood dumbfoundedly outside the room. He would discover the reason faster than he knew.

"Yo, man... Why was Clare crying? I go to the bathroom for five minutes, and you're awake and moody?" He joked, his small laugh trailing off as he noticed the serious look on Eli's face, and the small tears that had formed in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to make the girl cry... What's your name?" Eli paused. "I'm just really confused right now. I mean, why am I here? Where's Julia...?"  
Adam froze on his path toward Eli's beside. "Eli... You... You really don't remember anything at all?" People were right when they said hospitals were hellholes. Breaking hearts, pasty walls, the feeling of death all around... Adam decided he'd avoid coming back after this if at all possible. "I'm Adam, man... Your best friend."

"Then... Then why don't I remember you?"

"You go to Degrassi. Y-you... You've gotten into a lot of fights, but this kid.. This kid Aiden, he, well, he beat you up... A lot. And... Apparently you don't remember anything."

Eli's face remained stoic. "And... And so... That girl is my girlfriend?" Adam nodded. The brunette averted his gaze. "And... What about Julia. How did we break up?"

Of course. Adam hated being in the middle of things like that. The entirety of responsibility had to fall on him for everything. Everything, that is, that he didn't want resting on his shoulders. It was difficult enough for him to keep secrets. But something that should be rightfully known, no, now that was another story. "Eli... Julia's dead."

The other boy's eyes completely widened in response. "You're lying to me, you asshole." He spoke, completely frozen in his shocked, and now angry state.

Adam remained still, trying not to blow up at his friend, attempting to understand his state. "I wouldn't lie to you, Eli." He paused. "You had a fight, Eli." Eli turned away from Adam. "Listen to me, please...! This was hard for you to tell me, and it's harder for me to tell you!"

"...I killed her, didn't I?"

"No, you idiot! It wasn't your fault, and I've already had to deal with you blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault..." Adam stressed.

"I killed Julia."

"You didn't." Adam repeated. "Please, Eli... Look at me."

The resting boy turned to him, cheeks slightly flushed and face wet. Adam spoke once more, slowly. "Eli, you've moved on... You have to remember that. You're still the same person... You're not a bad person."

"And... Do I love Clare?"

"Very much."

At Little Miss Steaks', a few blocks down, a woman in her mid-forties sat at a table alone. Her brown, almost hazel eyes scanned across the room repeatedly, gazing to the door. She only unglued her eyes a few times to pull a mirror out of her makeup case and fix her golden blonde hair in a particularly obsessive compulsive sort of a way. Upon seeing the platinum blonde boy enter the establishment, she smiled. Of course, the woman recognized Shaye; he'd been her daughter's best friend for years, and she'd always somewhat hoped the two would get together one day.

"Shaye!" She exclaimed, pulling the boy into and awkward, one-sided hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Roth."

"Emily, really!"

"Emily, right..." The boy gave a half-hearted smile. "How have you been?" He always tried his best to be polite to adults; even Mrs. Roth, who'd made Tony's life hell for the past three years or so.

"Oh, horrible, Shaye, dear! I've missed you and my Amanda terribly." She poke, Shaye trying to keep his complexion cool as she spoke. "But when she emailed to meet me today... Well, I came up immediately! I'm glad she asked you to come." She motioned for them to sit.

Every she, every Amanda... It killed Shaye inside. He somewhat understood the woman's plight, but he hated her for torturing Tony. As far as Shaye and Tony were concerned, 'Amanda' did not exist. "Yeah, well... The thing is, Mrs. Roth..." He began, stopping after hearing a familiar high pitched laugh enter the building.

"Yes, Shaye?" Good, she hadn't noticed. Callie and Tony slowly approached in silence, hand in hand, from behind Mrs. Roth. Tony's voice came out as a slight crack, slightly shaking as the girl beside him looked on reassuringly.

"Mom?"

The woman turned, a look of joy on her face at first, then followed by her eyes widening drastically, her mouth gaping in a slight anger.

"You're not my daughter."

"You're right. I'm your son. And this is my home. This is my girlfriend." He paused. "And whether you decide to support me in this and be my mother or not, you're going to have to sign this." He held out a small sheet of blue paper. "Because, whether you like it or not, I'm getting the surgery done." Tony felt Callie squeeze his hand; they'd rehearsed this many times before, but she knew that, for him, this time was the most difficult.

Shaye took a step next to Tony as Mrs. Roth shot a glare to him. "You knew about this?" Shaye nodded. "You bastard... You took away my daughter... My beautiful little girl."

"I was never your daughter, mom, and you need to accept that!"

"You are my daughter, and always will be... You were always such a good actress." She placed her hand on Tony's cheek, the latter pulling away slightly. "The show is over, 'Manda..."

Tony's face grew more and more hurt as his mother went on. "Now please, come back home... You're hurting this girl by keeping her away from real boys, you're hurting your family with lies, and you're hurting yourself."

A small tear fell down Tony's face, a few more falling on the other side that was hidden by his hair. Thinking what to say. Pulling at what to do. And as he was about to speak, he heard a small voice from beside him take the place.

"Mrs. Roth... I mean no disrespect, not at all... My fathers always told me to respect all of my elders. But... The real lie that Tony would be living would be pretending he's a girl." Callie said confidently. "He's a boy, and one of the kindest, sweetest, most intelligent ones I've ever met. And... If you can't accept him as he is, well, then..." She looked to Tony quickly, causing the latter to speak.

"Then you won't have to deal with having a son, as long as you chose to keep up your end..." He swallowed hard. "You sign the paper, and you'll never hear from me again... And I don't hear from you again."

The woman paused at the ultimatum presented to her. Hadn't, maybe an hour ago, she been so excited so see her daughter again? And yet, here in front of her was this liar who took her little Amanda away. Where had she gone wrong? She wouldn't let go that easily. After all, the neighbors had begun asking when Amanda would be coming home from boarding school; she'd told them all she had gone to pick her up. "I won't sign it." She said bluntly. "Amanda will be coming home with me."

"You have no control over me!" Tony cried, voice cracking slightly.

"What the hell's that, Amanda? Did you start doing those blasphemous drugs? I forbade you-"

"You forbade Amanda! Amanda doesn't exist! You don't have a daughter!" Tony was beginning to grow angry. Shaye placed a hand on his shoulder, motioning for him to calm down. Tony sighed angrily. "So you won't accept me as your son at home... But won't let me be myself away from you." He breathed in. "You really are selfish. You know, all I ever wanted was for you and dad... For anyone to accept me. But... Now, you know what? I don't care. I don't need your acceptance. Not because I know I'll never get it, but... But because I know who I am... And I've accepted that. And that's what's important to me."

He leaned down and kissed Callie, which caused a blush to form on both of their faces, a smile to crack on Shaye, and a look of disgust to appear on Tony's mother's face. "Like it or not, I'm a boy right up here." He patted his head once. "And soon will be everywhere else."

"And how's that working out for you if you don't have my permission?" Mrs. Roth hissed, her face still hurt.

"The only reason you're here... Is because I wanted to give you one last chance to connect with me. The real me." Tony began. "But... Since you denied..." He gave a smile to Shaye. "Shaye, being older than me, can act as my guardian, since you have technically disowned me."'

The woman in front of him's face was completely in shock as tears began to pour. "Please... Please come home, Amanda."

Tony shook his head.

"Have a nice life, Emily."

**A/N: PWNED. Hahaha. Oh, Emily Roth, how I hate thee~ ;D What did you think? ALSO, FOR A LIMITED TIME, I'LL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT PAST AND FUTURE CHAPTERS VIA REVIEW/MESSAGE THING. So, you should totally ask. :3 Anything about characters, plot, etc. Kay? USE THE OPPORTUNITY WISELY. XOXO 3**


	19. 19: One Track Mind

**A/N: Yay, finally! A Mark-focused chapter! So, when I created him, I didn't make this official or not... But now that it's here, I like how it works. This is also released on my friend who was the physical base for Mark's birthday! (Happy birthday, Mike! :D) Anyways, I hope you like this. I like Mark a lot. Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to BoyCrazed16 (Because she's that cool.)~ REVIEWS. They is love.**

Mark Ortega was pretty content with his life at the moment. Pretty, not fully. If he were fully content, then everything would be perfect. And nothing can be perfect. Therefore, he determined, he would never be content. However, he made the best of everything. Because, in reality, life was going much better for him here. He enjoyed being here, he decided. He liked Canada.

Mark liked a lot of things. He liked playing sports. He liked school. He liked girls. He liked a lot of things about girls. Their eyes, their hair, their smiles, their brains, their personalities. There were a lot of personalities he liked. Funny people, nice people, loyal people-oh, he hadn't had a lot of loyal friends. Mostly people had made fun of him, though being on the football team was a plus. But the friends he had, well, he liked them. They liked football, a lot of them, too.

That's what he hated.

He hated that his mind couldn't stay on track. Never.

Sure, the meds helped. That's what they're supposed to do. That's why he took them. But... But it got him so angry. He could do so much better, he thought. His grades would skyrocket. He was smart, he really was. He just couldn't focus. And he hated it so much. His game could improve, even! As much as he tried to work on it... Ignore the distractions, he just couldn't help it.

"Mark... Mark!" He heard a little voice call, snapping out of his thoughts, along with a slight tugging on his pants leg.

"Yeah, Holly?" He picked the little girl up, sitting her on his lap. Her tight brown curls bounced as she turned to him.

"Do you still have time to play with me today?"

Holly was always Mark's first priority in life. Always. His... Little sister, as his mom asked him to call her, was the only thing that he could ever focus on. She had no care in the world. So sweet, so innocent... No problems at all. For some reason, since she came into Mark's life... Well, the brunette just became his life.

He paused. "I... I have football practice." He paused, seeing the heartbroken look in the little girl's face. "But..." He sighed. Maybe the coach would let him off... Just this once. "I'm sure they won't mind. Besides..." He gave a big smile. "You're just so cute!" He lifted the girl, Holly, into the air, swinging her around a few times.

"I'm a superhero, Mark!" He could hear her say over the giggles.

Mark.

"You're my supergirl, you know that?"

"No, remember? You're the evil bad guy!" She squealed as Mark lowered her to the ground, running a bit of a distance across the living room. "Come and catch me!"

"Alright, you leave me no choice!" Her ran after her, lifting her into the air once more. "You won't foil my plans again, Holly Berry!" As the little girl squirmed, Mark made a noise of defeat, obviously letting her free easily. Holly, kicking him once lightly in the ankle, seemed delighted as Mark fell to the ground. The green-eyed girl immediately ran up to him, standing on his chest.

"You will never defeat me!" She giggled, lying down on top of him, hugging him around the neck.

"You're far too strong!" He smiled. "You're right, I guess I won't defeat you..." He gave a sigh, breathing almost heavily as the two laid on the ground.

"Well, maybe one day, I'll let you win. How's that sound, Mark?"

Mark.

The little girl bore a starking resemblance to her mother. The green eyes, especially. Even her face, her slightly chubby cheeks. Besides her hair, of course. Her hair was brown. But she wasn't, well... She was loyal, unlike her mother. That's all Mark had to say about that.

"I think that you should try your hardest at everything you do... Even if it is just beating the evil Marksman." He laughed.

"Well, it's not just beating you. I am saving the world, you know."

"You're very smart for your age, you know that?" He grinned, now staring at the small designs that adorned their living room ceiling.

"Thank you very much!" She squealed in delight. "But as my big brother, aren't you supposed to tease me and be mean? You're too nice."

Mark paused. This was supposed to be a new start, after all... Wasn't it? He stayed quiet for a while, tapping his fingers softly along the hardwood floor. From what he, people around here didn't care about what others thought. Heck, his best friends included two out football players... And does anyone care? No, they don't give a shit.

"Mark?" She called his attention back once more.

"How do you feel about that, Holly?" He spoke quickly.

"Feel about what, Mark?" She responded, confused and resting her head next to him.

Mark.

"Well... Just that. Me being your big brother and everything." He stopped for a moment. "I mean, are you okay with that?" This was a step. A big step.

"Uhm..." She looked at the junior once before staring out the window. It was nice out today, Holly thought. "Well, that's what grandma told me to-"

Mark interrupted the little girl. "But how do you feel about it?"

Holly's voice was a little higher than normally, if that was possible. "Well, it sort of hurts me..." She patted her little hand, adorned with pink nail polish, against her heart. "Right here."

"Why?" Mark's voice was slightly sad.

"Because... Because it makes me feel like you're ashamed of me."

"Then... Do you think that you wouldn't mind..." He took a deep breath. "That you wouldn't mind not having to do that anymore?" He saw the little girl's face light up; and he decided, then, that this was the right choice.

"Really?"

"Really. No more lies."

No more lies. That was a good motto to live by. Mark liked that motto, he decided.

"We don't have to worry about what anyone thinks... Besides, it's a new place, right? I don't think grandma will mind, either. She was just trying to help us, you know."

"That sounds good to me, Mark." Holly smiled, cuddling into him.

The boy cleared his throat. This would be different. He had no shame, unlike the girl who was still back in Minnesota; still cheering, living as if nothing had ever happened. She was the fool.

"Oh, right." She smiled. "Sounds good to me, dad."

**A/N: BET YOU ALL DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING! O: Oh-hoho. Well, what did you think? I like reviews because they help me edit myself. I really need outside input from people. So, I'd totally appreciate then. Because, I do love you all. 3 xx**


	20. 20: Fool

**A/N: Hey there! 3 So, here's Chapter 20! I know, I know it's not quite as eventful as Chapter 10 (comparing milestone to milestone or whatever...), but I like the fluff that goes along with this couple. Also, I think this explains a lot about their personalities. :D I know all you guys wanna hear about is Eli or WHATEVER, but you're gonna have to deal. :3 3 Heh. Kidding. I will address that shortly. I promise. TIDE YOURSELVES AND REVIEW WITH WHAT YA WANNA HEAR. XX**

Soleh Rowland considered herself to be quite a respectable young woman. Always keeping in place, making things happen, keeping things going, making sure people stayed in line; she was a mover, not a shaker. Her words were convincing, and she knew how to make sure things pulled through. She thought with her head, and was very firm in her decisions.

That's why, sometimes, she felt like a fool taking him back.

The decision to get back together with Kane was almost in a spur of the moment. It was quite uncharacteristic of her to make such a huge choice like that without thinking about it. You know, making a nice, organized list of pros and cons. Consulting her conscience, talking to over to herself for a few hours at the minimum. That's what she normally did. But, for some reason, she thought with her heart. Not with her head.

Soleh was also one to hold grudges for quite a while. She was nasty to be in a fight with, because you know you'd always lose. Whether it was to see who could ignore the other longer, or a verbal fight, you were screwed either way. It was a fact; Soleh Rowland was right ninety-nine point nine percent of the time.

Then, of course, there was that exception.

Kane made Soleh some things she rarely was; nervous, unsure, drastic... He was the exception. For example, she was so sure when she left him that she was making the right decision. So sure that he wouldn't change. Really; someone who hit people they cared for? Who couldn't control himself? And... Someone who was ashamed of her? He was a bad presence in her life.

But, he proved her wrong. Kane Aston changed.

He worked every day since she left. It was a huge blow to everything he'd worked for; he'd kept restraint as often as he could, but letting go like that... Putting his hands on her like that? He wouldn't forgive himself for that. That's why he went to classes. They helped, they really did. And he tried to talk to her again the following year. But she was hard as a stone. It killed him inside every time he tried to speak to her, and she completely, flat out ignored him. But... What was even worse was when they arrived the next September and Soleh did speak to him.

She acted as if nothing had ever happened.

Something had happened, and it destroyed him inside. As much as Kane wanted to pretend it hadn't, everytime he tried to make eye contact with her... Look at her, he saw that mark. That mark that he made with his bare hands. That mark reminded him that something had happened, and that he made a huge mistake.

Her head told her she was foolish for getting back together with him... But her heart didn't care. Kane agreed with her heart.

"So, what're we doing after school?" The taller boy said, his arm casually draped around the smaller's shoulders as they trekked their way throughout the large building. His hair had grown quickly as the months had gotten by.

"Well, I was going to help set up for the dance... I thought you were, too... That is, unless you'd forgotten." Soleh laughed.

"Ah!" Kane exclaimed, guiding the pair around a corner and stepping over to his locker. That's Saturday, right? How'd you manage to get that?"

"I have my ways." Soh smirked, messing slightly with her lock on the locker that was conveniently located one over from Kane's. "Simpson was pretty okay with it, really." She shoved a few things into her bag before slamming the metal door shut.

Kane didn't answer at first, concentrated on the contents of his locker, before tucking a pen behind his ear and pulling out a folder. "You do have a way with words." He sighed, closing over his respective door and taking her hand in his. "You know..." He paused. "I... I wish we could have had this sooner."

"Maybe it's for the better?" Soleh smiled. She hadn't ever liked seeing Kane upset; even when they were apart, it was difficult for her to stay upset with him. "You need to stop blaming yourself. I mean, if we hadn't been apart then, who knows if we'd stay together?" She paused. "All that matters is that you're here with me now... And nothing matters, and no one cares."

"You know that I don't give a shit if anyone cared, anyway, right?" He laughed, squeezing her hand slightly and pushing the bridge of his glasses up his nose. "So... I know something else that's memorably romantic."

"And what's that?"

"The fact that you have no choice but to be my Valentine this year. And that everyone can know." He grinned. "So as much of a sappy idiot as I act, and as much as I embarrass you... You can't hide."

"Well aren't I lucky?"

The bell rang, and underclassmen began pouring by the numbers into the halls as Soleh and Kane mazed through, eventually gaining entry into the gym. "The luckiest."

"Thank god it's Friday, though... I can't wait for the dance, now." Soleh smirked.

The gym was adorned in various shades of pinks and reds, while the lights gave out a small orange glow. It wasn't gaudy, persay. Just very themed. Over the past two months, the exchange students had noticed that Degrassi kids didn't half-ass anything. "Look at the lovebirds!" The pair heard a voice call out from above in a sing-song tone. Holly J was standing at the top of a tall ladder, being held up by Sav. "I think it's cute." She concluded. A few other students were scattered around, working on various decorations, including Chantay, Fiona, Anya, Riley and Zane.

"Haha, very funny." Kane droned sarcastically. "You shouldn't be the only one talking!"

"So, what do you need help with now?" Soleh asked, ignoring the bantering and aiming her conversation to the boy at the base of the ladder.

"You two can go set up the food table..." The boy nodded in the direction of a large banquet table that was set up opposite a DJ Booth. "The tablecloth needs to be put on, and some of those crazy table sparkles need to go on there. Got it?" The both nodded, Soleh picking up the plastic bag of table cloths and Kane grabbing the packages of glitter.

"I always wondered what the point of these little shiny things were, anyway. I mean, as a kid, I just wanted to eat them." Kane pondered, receiving a giggle in response from Soleh as the pair unfolded a large, red plastic tablecloth that made a rustling noise as it was stretched over the table. "I mean, really!" He continued, picking up the little, cellophane bag as Soleh started to tape down the edges. "Look at these!" As Soleh looked up, she saw a shimmer in front of her eyes, flinching slightly as she realized Kane had begun to throw some of the glitter at her.

"Hey, not fair!" She laughed, pulling some of the small decorations out of her curled hair and tossing them back over at the boy, not noticing the people looking on as the two engaged in an all out sparkle war.

Maybe... Just maybe, she liked being a fool.

**A/N: YOU FOOL! O: Hahaha! So, there we go! Kaleh Fluffffffffff~ So, this will sorta lead into the next chapter that'll have a big focus on some existing characters. Again, tell me who ya wanna hear about! I LOVE YOU GUYS AND YOUR FANTASTICAL REVIEWS. XOXOXO**


	21. 21: A Bad Case of RHS

**A/N: May I be the first to say that I totally called this couple, and that if it doesn't happen, Ima hurt someone? I called it since WAY BACK WHEN, and I'm so excited for it. It's possibly my new favorite couple. Ffff, if you guys realize that I'm writing a lot of happy chapters, it's because I've been super happy lately. (Shaye3) If you wanna know why, then you can totally ask. I'm gonna start posting pictures of the characters on my profile. Who do ya'll wanna see first?**

**This is a very long Author's Note, I've realized, and I understand if you don't want to read it. But yeah. A lot of things are going to start setting up. I like to know what you guys want to see, because that motivates me to write. But I swear to Jesus of Suburbia, if everyone just says EClare, I'm going to shot someone in the head and totally delay any EClare-ness by five or seven chapters kthxbaiilu. 3  
**

Adam couldn't believe it.

Wasn't it mere days ago that Eli had been creating an elaborate plan with him to ask Clare to be his Valentine? That the signature smirk still rested upon his brunette friend's face? Everything changed so quickly... And Adam was used to change, he had to admit that. But... He was used to good change. Changes to himself. Changes that he could control. But this... Being fully erased from his best friend's mind? It was pretty hard for the boy to process.

He had to get away.

That's why he agreed to help work the dance. Eli would be let out later, the hospital told him. He'd pick him up then. But, for now, he needed time to think. He had to. Being like this definitely wasn't healthy. He needed to focus his mind back on his work, which totally was lacking. Being on Science Olympians helped, too; he was given extensions in the subject on assignments because of his situation, and boy, did he need them. Even with all the help he was being given, he was still painfully behind.

And now, having to remind Eli of everything, and reteach him everything about Degrassi, Clare, himself, Julia... He could shudder thinking about it. Maybe he'd convince Eli to go to the dance. The familiar atmosphere would be good, he thought. He mentally left himself a note to do that, later, and maybe pick up some of his friend's clothes on the way. Though that'd probably be difficult; through the time they'd been friends, Eli never disclosed much about his family. He seemed like he didn't want to talk about it, so Adam never picked around that area much. The time would come.

That's why he liked hanging up decorations here with her. It was so... So simple. He kept his mind focused on making sure every task she gave him to do ended up perfectly. He wouldn't disappoint her, no. Not like so many others. It was easy, though. If he tripped in the slightly, she didn't mind. She giggled, of course, but it wasn't at him. She didn't care about anything... She merely enjoyed his company. And he enjoyed hers

.  
"Adam, do you think it's too dim in here?" The brunette pondered, addressing the shorter of the two. Her soft hands were covered with knitted gloves that trailed up to her shoulders, meeting a loose, cream peasant shirt that trailed over jean leggings and wrapped with a brown belt. She'd taken her shoes off earlier from running around the gym, and Adam had followed suit.

"Well, as long as people can see their dates' faces, you know? I think you should be fine, then." Adam responded lightly.

"But... It's not the face that matters, right?" Fiona replied, pausing slightly. "It's the humor..." She stopped again, taking light breaths between each of her sentences. "The intelligence... The kindness... The openness..." He didn't realize that, because of the lack of light in the room, that she had gotten so close to him.

It was, at that moment, that Gracie Torres was completely gone.

At that moment, Adam Torres took a chance.

He kissed her.

There was a second there that it was just quiet for the both of them. And in that second, what seemed like millions of thoughts ran through Adam's head. If he had made a terrible mistake. If she was disgusted. If people were staring. If she didn't reciprocate.

But then, she did.

And he could feel the weight of the world drop painfully off of his shoulders, suddenly being replaced with the feeling of everyone's eyes... But he didn't care. Maybe even, he liked it. There was no hospital. No Eli and Clare. No bullies. No fights. No anger. No Gracie.

Just Adam and Fiona.

Adam and Fiona... And the group of people that looked on. Smiles adorned a number of the faces, knowing and appreciating that something for once had gone right for the boy. In fact, every face in the room was smiling. All, that is, but one. One pair of eyes couldn't bear to look. One face was covered with a mask; a fake smile. The owner of these left the room, attempting to keep his composure. He wouldn't let him know. It came from the most unexpected of them all.

Drew wouldn't let his step-brother know how hurt he was. Everything always went right for Drew. Maybe it was karma. Maybe it was just fate. But either way, Adam wouldn't know.

By the time the decorating had finished, leaving a soft and romantic (in various ways) atmosphere in the room, the chill of the February air had begun to rush into Degrassi, leaving the few students who'd stretched their time to the absolute end, dealing with Fiona and Holly J's demands, scrambling to their lockers and grabbing coats, scarves and the like before clearing out into the brisk air.

"So..." Fiona paused, tucking her hands into her jacket pockets, her nose immediately turning pink from the cold. "How is your friend?"

Adam sighed. He knew she hadn't brought it up intentionally. It was common courtesy, after all. "He's... He's alright." Adam held the door open for her as the pair simultaneously walked down the stairs. "In truth, I initially came here to be with you, and escape that stuffy hospital and all the problems that came with it."

"Well, believe me, I'm flattered..." She smiled, taking his gloved hand in hers casually. "But... What are the problems?" Adam looked away. "I mean, if you don't want to talk about it, that's totally fine-"

"No, no, it's alright." Adam went on, regaining his eye contact with the brunette. "He can't remember a thing, to tell you the truth. He had some... Some bad things go on about a year or so ago, and he only remembers a time before that." He paused quickly to use his heel to crack a bit of ice that'd formed in their path, to be sure neither of them slipped. "He lost someone close to him, and he thought she was still alive. It's... It's really rough, because I hate having to be the one to explain everything to him."

Fiona stopped in her tracks, turning to Adam. "You've gotta know that he needs you more than anything, right now. Can you imagine that? Sitting there, alone, with no clue what to do or where to go... Or even who you are, exactly? You have to be his friend now, more than any other time before."

"I know, I know... It's just difficult."

"I understand, there... There are thing you don't want to deal with." She thought to herself for a moment. "I've had things like that." Adam appeared confused, fiddling slightly with his beanie. "At the beginning of last year, there was this guy... And he seemed absolutely perfect. That is... This is, until he started hitting me."

Well didn't Adam feel like shit now. Crawling into a hole and dying felt good right about then. "Oh my god, I-I'm sorry! Man, I didn't mean for you to-"

"The point is, Adam, that Holly J was there for me. And... And as much as I didn't want to deal with him, I had to. Holly J convinced me... And I don't regret a thing."

"So... Does that mean you'll come with me to the hospital? He's getting dismissed later on today."

Fiona smirked. "I'll check my schedule."

Adam was good with that. He wouldn't go through this alone, either.

**A/N: Also, guys, if you're wondering what the title of this chapter stands for, RHS stands for Restless Heart Syndrome. I didn't want to tell you that before you read it, because it makes you wonder. If you may or may not have noticed, I'm a Green Day freak, and their music influences my life and my writing a lot. I also want to ask you guys what type of person you think I am... One of the characters in this story is based off of me physically and partially emotionally. So, guess. AND IF YOU KNOW ME AND I TOLD YOU ALREADY, DON'T GUESS. But review anyway. xoxo!**


	22. 22: The Benefits of Overexcess

**A/N: SO GUESS WHO FINALLY WROTE A CHAPTER. THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE. I completely stalled this due to me turning 16 in like, two days. I've been planning this epic party since I was 10 years old, and now that it's coming around, I'm obnoxiously excited and that's my priority at the moment. But I finished this tonight so I could get it done before the party, and therefore the last episode of the fall. I hope it lives up to expectations~**

Clare, at first, did not want to go with Adam when he was to pick up Eli.

She did not want to have to listen to Adam break every bad thing that had happened over the past year to her boyfriend. She did not want to see his face as it sunk in that the girl he'd once been in love with was dead. She did not want to be the enemy, of sorts.

But most of all, she did not want to hear him say what she knew he would say.

That he wasn't ready, anymore.

She knew it was coming. She'd known it was coming just as much as she foresaw her parents' decision to get a divorce. But like the oncoming split, Clare Edwards was happy in her denial. She just wanted things to go back to how they were. She'd waited for Eli to get over Julia. To get over his violent streak. But now, she feared, all of that would be undone, just as his memory went; in an instant.

She didn't know what made her change her mind. She didn't know why she was sitting shotgun in a car next Fiona Coyne with her friend in the back, going through piles of paper. But for some reason, she almost felt obligated. Maybe it was that hope in the back of her head that Eli would be happy that she was there.

That, or maybe it was Adam's constant attempts at convincing her that would happen.

Either way, that's where she was right now, much to her slight dismay.

The silence was awkward at first, but after she turned on the radio (because the only CD's that were in the car were Adam's step-brother, Drew's, which none of them wanted to listen to), things got a little better. She didn't necessarily know the song, and it wasn't even her taste, but the deep, bass drum's pounding kept her mind off of why she really was there. After listening to the words for a while, she noticed that the song's lyrics were not as calming as she'd hoped for.

"I'm the patron saint of the denial, with an angel face and a taste for suicidal... Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me? I'll give you something to cry about!"

The other girl in the front of the car noticed Clare's discomfort, quickly flipping the station to something more soothing-it was probably Death Cab for Cutie or Coldplay or something like that.

"I need you so much closer."

"Oh, come on! I liked that song!" Adam moaned from the back in complaint, to which Fiona shot him a glare as they pulled into the parking garage, finding a spot on the first floor. As the trio dislodged from the Jeep-esqe car, all remained silent. None wanted to be the first to speak, and the first to say something wrong. The sliding glass doors had never seemed so... Blockading. But Clare liked it. She liked that she could see inside the waiting room as they approached. That she could see what was coming, and turn back if she wished.

She really wished to turn around upon seeing the brunette's slouched figure in a chair alone. But for some reason, she couldn't turn. In fact, her pace quickened. Clare realized, at that point, that all she wanted were for things to get better. And he needed her for them to get better. She couldn't run and abandon him. No. Not now. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even noticed she'd gone feet ahead of Adam and Fiona, both of whom looked on to her worriedly.

Her hand was shaking as she slid open the door to the waiting room, the waiting boy standing as she did, his emerald eyes filled with a slight glow of their former glory. Clare stopped in the doorway for a moment, before walking over to Eli and sitting beside him in silence, as Adam and Fiona stayed still, waiting outside the doorway.

She waited about a minute, trying to think of what to say to the boy who obviously knew nothing of her. She'd have to bring his memories back. "Eli..." She began tentatively, his name hanging on her lips just as painful as when she'd said them once before, and he hadn't been able to say hers in response. However, this time was a tad different.

Though the brunette did not make eye contact, a small whisper managed to escape his lips. "Clare... I'm... I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She placed her hand on his, and though at first, his hand went to pull away, Eli's hand stayed stationary, obviously rattled of the events of the past couple of days. All the boy remembered was waking up... And everything being different. Of course, there were shady memories that he could not quite recognize, but he tried his best to write things down when he could get a clear image through-he had a small black notebook he kept in his jean pocket that Adam had given to him in the days before. "You were doing the right thing... It's Aiden's fault."

"He's... He's the one with the long hair, right?" Clare nodded. "That's the one thing I can remember clear as day... In this stoney sort of alleyway. Maybe... Cobblestone? Or brick, or something like that. I'm gonna assume it's by the school?" He looked to the girl, who affirmed his suspicions once more.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, yet, you know. But... Know you can talk to me." At that moment, the boy next to her's face blanked, his eyes wide and mind obviously deep in thought. "Eli?" She called once, receiving no answer from the dark eyed teen. "Eli?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, voice getting slightly more frantic, using her other arm to wave in the couple that had been standing outside the room.

The new pair came over, Adam quickly kneeling in front of his friend, trying different ways to gather his attention in voice and sight. "C'mon, man, you can't freak out on us like this!"

"Adam? That's your name, right?" The spoke barely spoke out, still not making eye contact.

The boy paused. "Yes. You remember me, Eli?" The boy with auburn hair was tentative with his question, part of him not wanting to hear the answer he was so confidently expecting. However, what came to his ears wasn't at all what he was afraid of.

"Yes. Just slightly... But yes." The brunette paused, his emerald eyes making contact to Clare's eyes carefully. "And... Clare. I remember you, too... I... I need to know more."

Where could one find an entire year of someone's life? Clare and Adam had not even known Eli over that year... How were they expected to fill him in with every detail? Every detail that he completely deserved? A log would have had to have been kept... Something with every personal detail.

"Eli... Your room!" Clare whispered out, causing the other three pairs of eyes to snap to her. "Everything in there. Maybe... Maybe it'll help you remember." She paused. "Maybe... Things can go back to the way they were."

"The way they were?" Eli said carefully, thinking before placing his hand on Clare's. "...And, just to be making sure... They were good, right?"

"Very good."

Adam grinned, taking Fiona's hand in his own and looking back and forth between his two best friends before standing up. "Well then, I'm supposed to be taking you home with me, sir. Seeing as your parents won't be home for a good while, you'll be spending the night at el casa de Torres."

Eli nodded, looking over to Clare, who stood and helped the boy up. He swayed just slightly, probably from the slight lack of blood in his head that was still wrapped with bandages that were incognito beneath his hair. A slight shine of the old Eli came through when he gave Adam a slight look that the other boy could recognize in an instant. "We'll... Meet you both in the car, then?" Clare nodded, not noticing what messages have been transferred between the boys. Adam and Fiona quickly stepped out through the sliding glass doors, whispering amongst themselves.

"So... Clare." Clare snapped out of the slightly dazed reality that she'd set herself in, trying to figure out what Adam had been saying. "I... I'm sorry I can't remember much-"

"Really, you have no reason to apologize!"

"Saint Clare..." Her heart stopped. Something had to be shining through for him to call her that. "Please don't interrupt me and listen to what I have to say." He grinned as she pouted slightly and nodded for the boy to continue. "As I was saying... I can't remember much, but when I found my backpack that I had with me the day I was put in this crappy place, I found something and I... Well, let's put it this way."

He reached down into the backpack that sat between his feet, taking out a small, black leather box. "I couldn't forget that we'd have to match..." He paused, opening the box, revealing an emerald earring, and clearing his hair out of the way to show a matching one on his own ear in the same place that the pair had gotten pierced on their first date. "That is, if you were to be my date tomorrow... And, to that point, my valentine. I remembered that was that was my most important priority. I mean..." He looked down. "This isn't at all as I'd planned it. But... But it's perfect all the same. That is... That is, if you're still willing to help me."

The girl in front of him paused, overwhelmed with every feeling rushing through her heart and mind all at once, but then immediately wrapping her arms carefully around him, making sure to not put too much pressure on the areas she'd known to be damaged by that freak Aiden. "Of course I'm willing to take you on..." She spoke, her words muffled as Clare buried her face into his shoulder.

Tears began to pour down the boy's face. "I'm a mess, Clare... I'm a mess, but you've always been there to clean me up."

"It's what I'm here for."

"Thank you."

Lips met lips.

All was well.

**A/N: By the by, this isn't the end of the whole thing, at all. The end of this chapter makes it seem like an ending, but it's not. I PROMISE. Remember? Someone isn't making it to summer break of '11. LE GASP! Review, please! They motivate me! xx**


	23. 23: Demons of the Mind

At Cuomo Park High School, there'd always been _plenty_ of drama to go around; at it seemed that it had begun to magnify at the years went on, and the crop of students came through. At least, that's how the faculty wished to explain it. And what with the overcrowding, it seemed best for them to... _Export _a few of the students. Some that were causing the issues, and a few that could fix them.

Kane Aston and Soleh Rowland; two of the top students in the class, president and vice. They could attempt to keep peace. Tony Roth, Shaye Hayes, and Liona Hodges; the poor transgender kid who was hospitalized freshman year, and his hippie activist and lesbian friend. Things would be far less tempest-tossed if they weren't around. Marilyn Lowe and Mark Ortega; cheerleader, football player. Just for good measure. It was a loss, having to let go of Lowe and her statistics in testing and extra-circulars, but it was a sacrifice they had to make. Callie Moore, a quiet girl who fell into the background and wouldn't really be missed. Tao Riggs, the troublesome kleptomaniac who'd gotten cops called to the school a number of times. And finally, Aiden Fox; a complete disaster- the tainted child from a perfect family.

And now, these kids were set into Degrassi Community School in Toronto, Canada. Out of the country. Out of their hair. No longer their issue. However, over at said Community School, things were brewing that could not have been foreseen by anyone, other than the superiors who had set this monster loose.

This, however, is not the issue right now.

Our present issue is the fact that... Well, on the outside, it seemed as if there was no issue. In the past few weeks and months at the school, things had gotten more out of hand than what was ever expected or seen before. And the administration was just...taking it. And pretending like nothing was wrong. A band-aid on a giant bruise isn't going to do much of anything.

And that's what really aggravated Liona.

The fact that her friend was in perpetual danger _all the time _at this school, and they wouldn't do a blasted thing about it. Tony was always in danger with Aiden around. Everyone was in danger with that menace around. When she and her friends agreed to go to Canada for school, they were trying to get away. Tony from his prying mom, Shaye from his past, and... Liona didn't know exactly where she fell. She was their friend. So... She went along. She was pretty good with the flow. Sometimes, she fought it. But adapting to change was nothing new for this girl.

But here, something had to change.

That, she knew for certain.

Laying in her bed, Liona attempted to think about the events of the past few months. When she'd first arrived here, she immediately called up and found an apartment a block or two away from Tony and Shaye. She knew they'd be living together, just as they did back in Minnesota... In the States. And, as was her custom, Liona never liked being out of loops. She just wanted a better life. They had less than half a year left. Then they'd graduate.

Tony could go on with everything he'd ever wanted. Finally be who he always was. Shaye... Liona worried about Shaye. The two always joked that, if she were straight, they'd be dating. They were just really close friends. But he never had any plan on anything. Where he'd go. What he'd do. Liona knew he'd never separate from her and Tony. The three were a trio for a reason. They all had checks and balances they fell through in case anything happened.

But where were they to go from here?

Aiden had to go around and ruin everything. He always had. And Liona hated him for it. He was the core of her hate at the absence of some sort of... Punishment. Change. Anything! Another thing she hated...Was that she couldn't do anything about it.

So she wrote. Liona did what she did best; took to her linked social networks, and wrote. Took out everything she felt to the people. People who'd see it, and know that a wrong was being done here. This kid had nearly killed two people. And his only reprocussion? Suspended. A swat on the hand. "Don't do it again."

"Hey people of the internet,

LionAH checking in with a more serious matter today. So, as you've probably seen from some of my tweets, I recently moved to Toronto to go to school here with a few friends. I was really excited for a new start, and things started out well. We made a bunch of new friends here, people who got us. But...We realized that old demons had followed us up into the Great White North, too. If you guys can think back about four years, to the only other time I've ever really posted about serious issues... When my dear friend was put into the hospital because of who he chose to be? Same sort of thing.

But now, another kid...My new friend was the victim. He's forgotten so many important things in his life. Because that same kid came here. And do you know what happened? He got suspended. My friend should be back in school soon, but that's beside the point. Coming into school today made no sense. It felt like nothing had happened. Everything was exactly the same as it was before anything went down. And I just think that's wrong. He's gotten away without a thing done to him. He's wandering around this town, knowing the power he holds over everyone here.

Degrassi, get your asses into shape, because you just set free a demon.

LH~"


End file.
